# Extremely Average



## Ecocandle

*New Year...New Hobby*

I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.

In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.

Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.

The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.

With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.

The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.

I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.

With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.

It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.

The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.

At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


Fun stuff. Hang in there, it gets even better. There are all kinds of scary and really cool tools to use and learn. The pride and amazement never ceases to amaze me too.

Welcome to the party,
Steve


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


Brian,
I really enjoyed reading your post. Your humor and enthusiasm show clearly. I look forward to seeing your progress.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


SPalm and ChuckV,

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my drivel. I enjoyed writing it. I am pleased to have found this forum for sharing my journey and helping me along the way. I tried to send you each a personal note, but alas, couldn't figure it out. Obviously that is a part of the journey.

Brian


----------



## beckerswoodworks

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


Welcome to the world of wood working Brian! That's the most interesting blog I've read on this site yet. I'm looking forward to hearing more about your journey and seeing some projects.


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


Wow
That was really really long. LOL just kidding Brian Hey welcome to the neighborhood and I like your writing style.
Enjoy there are allot of good folks here if you need just ask.


----------



## Lenny

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


Hi Brian,

Welcome to Lumberjocks and to woodworking as well. I thoroughly enjoyed your levity. If your woodworking comes around to the level of your writing skills you will be quite adept! I have been woodworking for 30 years now and it's great to hear the perspective of someone just beginning to enjoy this great pastime of ours. If it isn't already, it will become your passion. Thanks for sharing your workbench tale. Once you learn how to post pictures of your projects, please post some of the workbench. I would love to see it.

As for sending a personal message (PM) to a fellow Lumberjock (LJer), simply click on the "home" link next to their name. Once on their home page, look for "send a message" and click on it. That's all there is to it. Happy 2010, best wishes and I look forward to reading more of your writing.

Lenny


----------



## Blake

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


Hey Brian, you're an excellent writer. It will be fun to watch your woodworking come up to speed with your writing. This is going to be a popular blog because everyone can identify with it, whether they are at the same point in their woodworking journey or far beyond it… everyone knows what this feels like.

But even for seasoned woodworkers the learning curve is never ending, and every time you try something new it feels just like what you described. For example, I have become very proficient in the use of power tools over the last few years. I read every book and magazine I could get my hands on, read every review, and slowly built up my arsenal of routers, saws, sanders, etc., to the point where I was actually getting paid to build furniture for people. And now I am having these "ah-ha… oooh… whoa!" moments all over again lately as I teach my self how to use hand tools.

Keep writing. I'll follow along. Welcome to lumberjocks.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


well said , brian .
you have really captured the spirit of woodworking ,
as blake said there is still the beginner in all of us .
your approach is straight forward and thoughtful . 
with some time and the enthusiasm you exhibit ,
you will find yourself enjoying it even more .
as for posting pictures ,click this ,

http://lumberjocks.com/garyk/blog/8899

also 
welcome to LJ's .


----------



## nmkidd

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


Very well written blog…...enjoyed the levity thrown in here and there…...I too, am a novice and spend more time thinking(usually with a cup of coffee and a twinkie…....twinkies are inspirational) about how to approach my task at hand…...looking forward to seeing your work bench.

Welcome to LJs…....in that last couple months I have got some good learnin' from all these wonderful folks here…..hope you do the same.


----------



## douginaz

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


Hi Brian, welcome L.J.'s. Great start on your woodworking journey. I remember those feeling of trepidation, of being just a little unsure but willing to try. Excellent way to get know your fellow jocks and let us know exactly where you are in the process. I really look forward to hearing about the next challenge you set for yourself. It is really refreshing to hear someone speak so candidly and with such a great sense of humor.

I hope you stay with it, you have many great and not so great experiences just waiting for you.

Later, 
Doug in AZ.


----------



## Russel

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


Brian, welcome to the Wonderful World of Wood Working. You're a good 5 years younger than I was when I started, but I can tell you that I'm not the least bit sorry. I can appreciate your satisfaction with each new skill. My early projects were chosen specifically so that I did something new with each.

You'll find LumberJocks both helpful and inspirational. You'll learn to do things you didn't know existed and before long you'll be making some of the best stuff you've ever seen.

Welcome, and enjoy your journey.


----------



## ShannonRogers

Ecocandle said:


> *New Year...New Hobby*
> 
> I have been known to take up a hobby or 37. At 42, on the cusp of 43, and well into the 'balding' years, I have decided that, in lieu of a midlife crisis, I would take up woodworking. Don't get me wrong, a new car and a 27 year old with huge, firm, hands would be wonderful; But I can't afford the 27 year old, and I am not into cars that much.
> 
> In the summer of 2009, I went to an arts festival in Des Moines. The gentleman, who won best of show, did so with some amazing etched clay bowls. I am not sure why those clay pots inspired me to take up wood working, or if they were the only inspiration, but shortly thereafter I found myself living in the thriving metropolis of Martelle Iowa. I had my first ever basement.
> 
> Without a lot of money to buy all that one needs to build furniture, I started with magazines. The first one was called, "Start Woodworking", from the editors of Fine WoodWorking. I read tips on tools, ideas for projects, stories about great woodworkers, and I began to formulate a plan. I would start with a workbench, the workbench on page 24. The editors of the magazine did a good job of designing a project with the beginner in mind. They even provided a DVD with instructions that were really helpful.
> 
> The bench took several months to complete, though the plans were designed so that one could complete it is a weekend. I would guess that I spent 5 hours of thinking about building the bench, for every hour of actual working on it. I thought about what I needed to complete each step, but I was always only focused on the next step. The first step was to buy the 2×4s, 4×4s, 3/8" threaded rod, and a miter saw. Not an electric miter saw, a cheap manual one. I could afford it, it would cut, and I didn't at all care about how long it would take to make each cut. I also discovered in the garage and old hack saw that I could use for cutting the threaded rod.
> 
> With the wood cut, I decided I wanted to sand my lumber. The next purchase was a small Black and Decker 'Mouse' sander, some 80, 120, 180 grit sandpaper, and a cool looking level that I didn't need but it was shiny and I was powerless to NOT buy it. The next few weeks found me sanding each piece a bit each day. Barely into my first project I was already getting addicted to the process. The feeling of the construction grade lumber in my hand, after it had been sanded, gave me the slightest glimpse into the beauty of working with wood. I thought about how it must be to run my fingers across a piece of glass smooth mahogany or birds eye maple.
> 
> The plans required that I route a 3/8 inch groove into the stretchers. Before I read this magazine I didn't even know what a router or a stretcher was. Each new term learned, each skill set explored, opened up the possibilities that developing woodworking skills offers. And each discovery brought the reality home that care needs to be taken to master each aspect of woodworking. So before I could move on to routing I needed to do a bit of research. This is how one turns a 2 day project into a 2 month quest.
> 
> I read reviews and comments. There are many good routers to choose from and I decided to go with the Bosch 2.25 hp router with both the plunge base and the fixed base. I bought 3 bits. A 2" Spiral Downcut CL 2BB and a straight 3/8" by Amana Tools, and a 3/8" Up Spiral bit by Freud. I have come to the conclusion that Freud and Amana Tools are the two best out there. Admittedly Amana makes 2 levels of router bits, and I can't speak to their low end line, but the high end bits have been a joy.
> 
> With the router in hand, I had all the tools required to build my workbench. Each step was approached with a sense of confusion and fear. The first time I used the router I was filled with trepidation and pizza, as it was after dinner when I gave it a try. I spent close to 40 minutes setting up a guide for my router. Pieces of 2×4 clamped with 2 24" and 2 36" Jet clamps on my make shift workbench, allowed me to position the router to route. I had read that it is best to take several small passes for safety. Since I was already a bit scared that the router would spin wildly out of control and drive itself into my spleen, leaving me bleeding and generally disappointed, I decided that small passes were a good idea.
> 
> It worked as advertised. My first 2 passes made a wonderful 3/8" grove in my wood. I was filled with pride and sure that I was well on my way to being one of the greatest woodworkers of the last 700 years. My second board didn't go as well. I had tightened the collet on the router, though apparently not enough and it had slid up slightly. This had produced a slight up ramp for the groove. My ego needed this set back and I retightened it and decided that I was the greatest woodworker in my basement at that moment. This was good enough for me.
> 
> The rest of the project required gluing 2 pieces of ¾ " ODF together to form the top, drilling some holes in the 4×4 legs, and attaching the 9" Jet vice. The only difficult part was installing the vice as it didn't come with instructions, but my own insecurity about getting it right, made me take it at a glacial pace. When I flipped the bench back over and put a piece of wood in the vice, I almost wept with joy.
> 
> At the end of the quest I learned several things. 1) When marking wood to be cut or drilled, avoid doing it while watching college football. My bench still bears the scars of several errant holes. 2) Drilling holes with a hand drill, so that they are straight, requires a bit of practice. 3) High quality drill bits are much easier to use than really old, worn out, dull, bits. This likely applies to all tools, the better the quality, the better the results. 4) Fostner bits are cool. 5) I love my workbench, with its shiny red Jet 9" vice. 6) The journey before me is perhaps the most exciting one I have undertaken in my lifetime.


I really enjoyed this post. You have a great writing style that encourages one to read on. I love your enthusiasm and as someone who like you has taken up more than a few hobbies, I am pleased to say that this one has really stuck. I can only hope you find the same addiction in the coming years. What is most exciting is the challenge never ends and you will be approaching new things every day to churn up that "fear and confusion" you spoke about. Good luck in your journey and bookmark this site as your apprenticeship program. The collected knowledge in this community is staggering.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Reflections of a Mortise*



Stepping through the beveled corner, art deco inlay, looking glass, into the world of woodworking is an experience that is humbling to say the least. On another woodworking site, a blogger posed the question, are 'Dovetails' overrated? The article was well written, the comments were astounding. The debate between the pro-tail vs. the pro-choice factions was more contentious than an abortion debate three days before a presidential election.

Wonderland indeed! The one point that I took away from the debate was that choosing to learn to cut dovetails by hand required a lot of practice and patience. As someone who revels in his obsessive compulsive side, this epiphany appealed to me more than pizza and beer on a Saturday night. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of beer, but I LOVE pizza; And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy.

As I cracked a diet dew, I decided that I would begin my study by buying a chisel. My general rule is to always buy the best I can find. My knowledge of chisels was limited to knowing how to spell chisel, and I only recently learned that. The internet pointed me towards Lie-Nielson. Several other articles taught me that socket chisels are nice because the handles are less prone to splitting. Apparently the steel should be around 60 - 62 something, so it is not too soft and not too hard. This sounded like a fairy tale about 3 bears and a porridge stealing juvenile delinquent. But who am I to question the wisdom of those who come before me?! Lie-Nielson chisels are of this design. I felt smarter just for knowing that. I decided that I wanted a set of bench chisels, a fish tail, skew chisel and possibly a 3/8 mortise chisel. They only cost $555.00.

With my brand new 3/8" Irwin chisel (around $10.00) in hand, I took the old mallet I had found in the garage, and tapped it gently into my practice wood. The Lie Nielson will have to come at a later date. The practice wood was a lovely little piece of hard maple; she had a nice figure and was a bit shy. I could tell it was her first time too. As I tapped that wood with my tool I felt nervous. Was I doing it right? Was I hurting my lovely piece of wood? Was it good for her?



An hour later I had finished. I had drilled and chiseled my way to my first mortise. I was sweating but filled with joy. Oh the euphoria. So this is what all the fuss is about! I had chiseled out a 2 and ¼ inch by 3/8" mortise and was now ready to think about moving onto the tenon. Of course, this would have to wait for another day, as I wasn't ready for another go. I just wanted to bask in the glow of my first mortise.
I learned several interesting things about chisels. They are able to remove much thinner and cleaner shavings of wood than I would have imagined. I had assumed that they would take large chunks of wood with each hit. As I pared down the sides and brought the corners to 90 degrees(ish), the need for mastering hand tools became clearer than a D flawless diamond and quite possibly more valuable. I know now that if I can learn to use these wonderful tools, if I can make them do my bidding, then I just may be able to create a masterpiece or at the very least, a nice cutting board.



It is ironic that, two days before, I had been thinking how I might use my plunge router to cut the mortises I would need for the Krenov saw horses I was attempting. I still believe that it will be equally important to be able to cut them with power tools, and I will likely cut far more using a router than I will a chisel, in my lifetime. But I doubt that I will feel the same exhilaration.

So I discovered the joy of hand tools. I have since cut 7 mortises (4 without a drill) and 7 corresponding tenons by hand. The last 2 mortises (no drill) took less than 26 minutes each, which was a vast improvement over 1 hour. As I continued to meander through the wonderland, I happened upon a rabbit that said, "You should probably learn how to sharpen your chisel" and he winked. The wink made it seem dirty somehow. As I thought about the rabbit, I realized that this is why this journey is such a joy. Each day brings a new challenge. Each challenge opens a door. Each door leads to a hallway with more doors. I doubt I will ever find my way back to the mirror.

(Editor's Note: Ok, I don't actually have an editor, but I like the sound of it. I did want to say that I appreciate all the encouraging comments from the 1st post I threw up yesterday. As of the writing of this post there were 321 people who had read my previous post, and 3.4% of you chose to leave a comment. To the 96.4% who didn't comment, I can only assume that your mother told you, "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." To those non-posters, please feel free to mock my spelling, grammar or content…But NOT my hat…never my hat!)


----------



## Jimthecarver

Ecocandle said:


> *Reflections of a Mortise*
> 
> 
> 
> Stepping through the beveled corner, art deco inlay, looking glass, into the world of woodworking is an experience that is humbling to say the least. On another woodworking site, a blogger posed the question, are 'Dovetails' overrated? The article was well written, the comments were astounding. The debate between the pro-tail vs. the pro-choice factions was more contentious than an abortion debate three days before a presidential election.
> 
> Wonderland indeed! The one point that I took away from the debate was that choosing to learn to cut dovetails by hand required a lot of practice and patience. As someone who revels in his obsessive compulsive side, this epiphany appealed to me more than pizza and beer on a Saturday night. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of beer, but I LOVE pizza; And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy.
> 
> As I cracked a diet dew, I decided that I would begin my study by buying a chisel. My general rule is to always buy the best I can find. My knowledge of chisels was limited to knowing how to spell chisel, and I only recently learned that. The internet pointed me towards Lie-Nielson. Several other articles taught me that socket chisels are nice because the handles are less prone to splitting. Apparently the steel should be around 60 - 62 something, so it is not too soft and not too hard. This sounded like a fairy tale about 3 bears and a porridge stealing juvenile delinquent. But who am I to question the wisdom of those who come before me?! Lie-Nielson chisels are of this design. I felt smarter just for knowing that. I decided that I wanted a set of bench chisels, a fish tail, skew chisel and possibly a 3/8 mortise chisel. They only cost $555.00.
> 
> With my brand new 3/8" Irwin chisel (around $10.00) in hand, I took the old mallet I had found in the garage, and tapped it gently into my practice wood. The Lie Nielson will have to come at a later date. The practice wood was a lovely little piece of hard maple; she had a nice figure and was a bit shy. I could tell it was her first time too. As I tapped that wood with my tool I felt nervous. Was I doing it right? Was I hurting my lovely piece of wood? Was it good for her?
> 
> 
> 
> An hour later I had finished. I had drilled and chiseled my way to my first mortise. I was sweating but filled with joy. Oh the euphoria. So this is what all the fuss is about! I had chiseled out a 2 and ¼ inch by 3/8" mortise and was now ready to think about moving onto the tenon. Of course, this would have to wait for another day, as I wasn't ready for another go. I just wanted to bask in the glow of my first mortise.
> I learned several interesting things about chisels. They are able to remove much thinner and cleaner shavings of wood than I would have imagined. I had assumed that they would take large chunks of wood with each hit. As I pared down the sides and brought the corners to 90 degrees(ish), the need for mastering hand tools became clearer than a D flawless diamond and quite possibly more valuable. I know now that if I can learn to use these wonderful tools, if I can make them do my bidding, then I just may be able to create a masterpiece or at the very least, a nice cutting board.
> 
> 
> 
> It is ironic that, two days before, I had been thinking how I might use my plunge router to cut the mortises I would need for the Krenov saw horses I was attempting. I still believe that it will be equally important to be able to cut them with power tools, and I will likely cut far more using a router than I will a chisel, in my lifetime. But I doubt that I will feel the same exhilaration.
> 
> So I discovered the joy of hand tools. I have since cut 7 mortises (4 without a drill) and 7 corresponding tenons by hand. The last 2 mortises (no drill) took less than 26 minutes each, which was a vast improvement over 1 hour. As I continued to meander through the wonderland, I happened upon a rabbit that said, "You should probably learn how to sharpen your chisel" and he winked. The wink made it seem dirty somehow. As I thought about the rabbit, I realized that this is why this journey is such a joy. Each day brings a new challenge. Each challenge opens a door. Each door leads to a hallway with more doors. I doubt I will ever find my way back to the mirror.
> 
> (Editor's Note: Ok, I don't actually have an editor, but I like the sound of it. I did want to say that I appreciate all the encouraging comments from the 1st post I threw up yesterday. As of the writing of this post there were 321 people who had read my previous post, and 3.4% of you chose to leave a comment. To the 96.4% who didn't comment, I can only assume that your mother told you, "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." To those non-posters, please feel free to mock my spelling, grammar or content…But NOT my hat…never my hat!)


I must have missed your first posting and I will be the first to say "I do have bad spelling" but it is getting better….I hope.
On LJ's I do think we as a whole agree if you have nothing nice to say keep quiet. We like keeping LJ's a friendly community.
Nice article


----------



## douginaz

Ecocandle said:


> *Reflections of a Mortise*
> 
> 
> 
> Stepping through the beveled corner, art deco inlay, looking glass, into the world of woodworking is an experience that is humbling to say the least. On another woodworking site, a blogger posed the question, are 'Dovetails' overrated? The article was well written, the comments were astounding. The debate between the pro-tail vs. the pro-choice factions was more contentious than an abortion debate three days before a presidential election.
> 
> Wonderland indeed! The one point that I took away from the debate was that choosing to learn to cut dovetails by hand required a lot of practice and patience. As someone who revels in his obsessive compulsive side, this epiphany appealed to me more than pizza and beer on a Saturday night. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of beer, but I LOVE pizza; And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy.
> 
> As I cracked a diet dew, I decided that I would begin my study by buying a chisel. My general rule is to always buy the best I can find. My knowledge of chisels was limited to knowing how to spell chisel, and I only recently learned that. The internet pointed me towards Lie-Nielson. Several other articles taught me that socket chisels are nice because the handles are less prone to splitting. Apparently the steel should be around 60 - 62 something, so it is not too soft and not too hard. This sounded like a fairy tale about 3 bears and a porridge stealing juvenile delinquent. But who am I to question the wisdom of those who come before me?! Lie-Nielson chisels are of this design. I felt smarter just for knowing that. I decided that I wanted a set of bench chisels, a fish tail, skew chisel and possibly a 3/8 mortise chisel. They only cost $555.00.
> 
> With my brand new 3/8" Irwin chisel (around $10.00) in hand, I took the old mallet I had found in the garage, and tapped it gently into my practice wood. The Lie Nielson will have to come at a later date. The practice wood was a lovely little piece of hard maple; she had a nice figure and was a bit shy. I could tell it was her first time too. As I tapped that wood with my tool I felt nervous. Was I doing it right? Was I hurting my lovely piece of wood? Was it good for her?
> 
> 
> 
> An hour later I had finished. I had drilled and chiseled my way to my first mortise. I was sweating but filled with joy. Oh the euphoria. So this is what all the fuss is about! I had chiseled out a 2 and ¼ inch by 3/8" mortise and was now ready to think about moving onto the tenon. Of course, this would have to wait for another day, as I wasn't ready for another go. I just wanted to bask in the glow of my first mortise.
> I learned several interesting things about chisels. They are able to remove much thinner and cleaner shavings of wood than I would have imagined. I had assumed that they would take large chunks of wood with each hit. As I pared down the sides and brought the corners to 90 degrees(ish), the need for mastering hand tools became clearer than a D flawless diamond and quite possibly more valuable. I know now that if I can learn to use these wonderful tools, if I can make them do my bidding, then I just may be able to create a masterpiece or at the very least, a nice cutting board.
> 
> 
> 
> It is ironic that, two days before, I had been thinking how I might use my plunge router to cut the mortises I would need for the Krenov saw horses I was attempting. I still believe that it will be equally important to be able to cut them with power tools, and I will likely cut far more using a router than I will a chisel, in my lifetime. But I doubt that I will feel the same exhilaration.
> 
> So I discovered the joy of hand tools. I have since cut 7 mortises (4 without a drill) and 7 corresponding tenons by hand. The last 2 mortises (no drill) took less than 26 minutes each, which was a vast improvement over 1 hour. As I continued to meander through the wonderland, I happened upon a rabbit that said, "You should probably learn how to sharpen your chisel" and he winked. The wink made it seem dirty somehow. As I thought about the rabbit, I realized that this is why this journey is such a joy. Each day brings a new challenge. Each challenge opens a door. Each door leads to a hallway with more doors. I doubt I will ever find my way back to the mirror.
> 
> (Editor's Note: Ok, I don't actually have an editor, but I like the sound of it. I did want to say that I appreciate all the encouraging comments from the 1st post I threw up yesterday. As of the writing of this post there were 321 people who had read my previous post, and 3.4% of you chose to leave a comment. To the 96.4% who didn't comment, I can only assume that your mother told you, "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." To those non-posters, please feel free to mock my spelling, grammar or content…But NOT my hat…never my hat!)


Howdy Brian, another great post and I see you mastered posting pictures and got your feet wet with the new Irwin. One little hint that might come in handy is to start the clean up cut about a "Lines" width away from the line itself. Those type of chisels tend to walk to the line in spite of being held straight up and down. So bask away dude, you did great! How do you plan to cut the tennons ? Just curious, I'm having fun just hangin out and getting a contact high from your enthusiasm. 
Later, 
Doug in AZ.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Reflections of a Mortise*
> 
> 
> 
> Stepping through the beveled corner, art deco inlay, looking glass, into the world of woodworking is an experience that is humbling to say the least. On another woodworking site, a blogger posed the question, are 'Dovetails' overrated? The article was well written, the comments were astounding. The debate between the pro-tail vs. the pro-choice factions was more contentious than an abortion debate three days before a presidential election.
> 
> Wonderland indeed! The one point that I took away from the debate was that choosing to learn to cut dovetails by hand required a lot of practice and patience. As someone who revels in his obsessive compulsive side, this epiphany appealed to me more than pizza and beer on a Saturday night. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of beer, but I LOVE pizza; And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy.
> 
> As I cracked a diet dew, I decided that I would begin my study by buying a chisel. My general rule is to always buy the best I can find. My knowledge of chisels was limited to knowing how to spell chisel, and I only recently learned that. The internet pointed me towards Lie-Nielson. Several other articles taught me that socket chisels are nice because the handles are less prone to splitting. Apparently the steel should be around 60 - 62 something, so it is not too soft and not too hard. This sounded like a fairy tale about 3 bears and a porridge stealing juvenile delinquent. But who am I to question the wisdom of those who come before me?! Lie-Nielson chisels are of this design. I felt smarter just for knowing that. I decided that I wanted a set of bench chisels, a fish tail, skew chisel and possibly a 3/8 mortise chisel. They only cost $555.00.
> 
> With my brand new 3/8" Irwin chisel (around $10.00) in hand, I took the old mallet I had found in the garage, and tapped it gently into my practice wood. The Lie Nielson will have to come at a later date. The practice wood was a lovely little piece of hard maple; she had a nice figure and was a bit shy. I could tell it was her first time too. As I tapped that wood with my tool I felt nervous. Was I doing it right? Was I hurting my lovely piece of wood? Was it good for her?
> 
> 
> 
> An hour later I had finished. I had drilled and chiseled my way to my first mortise. I was sweating but filled with joy. Oh the euphoria. So this is what all the fuss is about! I had chiseled out a 2 and ¼ inch by 3/8" mortise and was now ready to think about moving onto the tenon. Of course, this would have to wait for another day, as I wasn't ready for another go. I just wanted to bask in the glow of my first mortise.
> I learned several interesting things about chisels. They are able to remove much thinner and cleaner shavings of wood than I would have imagined. I had assumed that they would take large chunks of wood with each hit. As I pared down the sides and brought the corners to 90 degrees(ish), the need for mastering hand tools became clearer than a D flawless diamond and quite possibly more valuable. I know now that if I can learn to use these wonderful tools, if I can make them do my bidding, then I just may be able to create a masterpiece or at the very least, a nice cutting board.
> 
> 
> 
> It is ironic that, two days before, I had been thinking how I might use my plunge router to cut the mortises I would need for the Krenov saw horses I was attempting. I still believe that it will be equally important to be able to cut them with power tools, and I will likely cut far more using a router than I will a chisel, in my lifetime. But I doubt that I will feel the same exhilaration.
> 
> So I discovered the joy of hand tools. I have since cut 7 mortises (4 without a drill) and 7 corresponding tenons by hand. The last 2 mortises (no drill) took less than 26 minutes each, which was a vast improvement over 1 hour. As I continued to meander through the wonderland, I happened upon a rabbit that said, "You should probably learn how to sharpen your chisel" and he winked. The wink made it seem dirty somehow. As I thought about the rabbit, I realized that this is why this journey is such a joy. Each day brings a new challenge. Each challenge opens a door. Each door leads to a hallway with more doors. I doubt I will ever find my way back to the mirror.
> 
> (Editor's Note: Ok, I don't actually have an editor, but I like the sound of it. I did want to say that I appreciate all the encouraging comments from the 1st post I threw up yesterday. As of the writing of this post there were 321 people who had read my previous post, and 3.4% of you chose to leave a comment. To the 96.4% who didn't comment, I can only assume that your mother told you, "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." To those non-posters, please feel free to mock my spelling, grammar or content…But NOT my hat…never my hat!)


I think that you should just cut your mortises with a router. It seems like a lot less hallways and doors to open that way. And mirrors are overrated.

Steve


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Reflections of a Mortise*
> 
> 
> 
> Stepping through the beveled corner, art deco inlay, looking glass, into the world of woodworking is an experience that is humbling to say the least. On another woodworking site, a blogger posed the question, are 'Dovetails' overrated? The article was well written, the comments were astounding. The debate between the pro-tail vs. the pro-choice factions was more contentious than an abortion debate three days before a presidential election.
> 
> Wonderland indeed! The one point that I took away from the debate was that choosing to learn to cut dovetails by hand required a lot of practice and patience. As someone who revels in his obsessive compulsive side, this epiphany appealed to me more than pizza and beer on a Saturday night. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of beer, but I LOVE pizza; And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy.
> 
> As I cracked a diet dew, I decided that I would begin my study by buying a chisel. My general rule is to always buy the best I can find. My knowledge of chisels was limited to knowing how to spell chisel, and I only recently learned that. The internet pointed me towards Lie-Nielson. Several other articles taught me that socket chisels are nice because the handles are less prone to splitting. Apparently the steel should be around 60 - 62 something, so it is not too soft and not too hard. This sounded like a fairy tale about 3 bears and a porridge stealing juvenile delinquent. But who am I to question the wisdom of those who come before me?! Lie-Nielson chisels are of this design. I felt smarter just for knowing that. I decided that I wanted a set of bench chisels, a fish tail, skew chisel and possibly a 3/8 mortise chisel. They only cost $555.00.
> 
> With my brand new 3/8" Irwin chisel (around $10.00) in hand, I took the old mallet I had found in the garage, and tapped it gently into my practice wood. The Lie Nielson will have to come at a later date. The practice wood was a lovely little piece of hard maple; she had a nice figure and was a bit shy. I could tell it was her first time too. As I tapped that wood with my tool I felt nervous. Was I doing it right? Was I hurting my lovely piece of wood? Was it good for her?
> 
> 
> 
> An hour later I had finished. I had drilled and chiseled my way to my first mortise. I was sweating but filled with joy. Oh the euphoria. So this is what all the fuss is about! I had chiseled out a 2 and ¼ inch by 3/8" mortise and was now ready to think about moving onto the tenon. Of course, this would have to wait for another day, as I wasn't ready for another go. I just wanted to bask in the glow of my first mortise.
> I learned several interesting things about chisels. They are able to remove much thinner and cleaner shavings of wood than I would have imagined. I had assumed that they would take large chunks of wood with each hit. As I pared down the sides and brought the corners to 90 degrees(ish), the need for mastering hand tools became clearer than a D flawless diamond and quite possibly more valuable. I know now that if I can learn to use these wonderful tools, if I can make them do my bidding, then I just may be able to create a masterpiece or at the very least, a nice cutting board.
> 
> 
> 
> It is ironic that, two days before, I had been thinking how I might use my plunge router to cut the mortises I would need for the Krenov saw horses I was attempting. I still believe that it will be equally important to be able to cut them with power tools, and I will likely cut far more using a router than I will a chisel, in my lifetime. But I doubt that I will feel the same exhilaration.
> 
> So I discovered the joy of hand tools. I have since cut 7 mortises (4 without a drill) and 7 corresponding tenons by hand. The last 2 mortises (no drill) took less than 26 minutes each, which was a vast improvement over 1 hour. As I continued to meander through the wonderland, I happened upon a rabbit that said, "You should probably learn how to sharpen your chisel" and he winked. The wink made it seem dirty somehow. As I thought about the rabbit, I realized that this is why this journey is such a joy. Each day brings a new challenge. Each challenge opens a door. Each door leads to a hallway with more doors. I doubt I will ever find my way back to the mirror.
> 
> (Editor's Note: Ok, I don't actually have an editor, but I like the sound of it. I did want to say that I appreciate all the encouraging comments from the 1st post I threw up yesterday. As of the writing of this post there were 321 people who had read my previous post, and 3.4% of you chose to leave a comment. To the 96.4% who didn't comment, I can only assume that your mother told you, "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." To those non-posters, please feel free to mock my spelling, grammar or content…But NOT my hat…never my hat!)


brian ,
you got style , my man !

it will ooze into your work ,
and we will all be enriched for it !
check this out ,
http://lumberjocks.com/stefang/blog/11534
also the little window top right of every page 
is a type-in and then hit search ,
ask about anything you like there


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Reflections of a Mortise*
> 
> 
> 
> Stepping through the beveled corner, art deco inlay, looking glass, into the world of woodworking is an experience that is humbling to say the least. On another woodworking site, a blogger posed the question, are 'Dovetails' overrated? The article was well written, the comments were astounding. The debate between the pro-tail vs. the pro-choice factions was more contentious than an abortion debate three days before a presidential election.
> 
> Wonderland indeed! The one point that I took away from the debate was that choosing to learn to cut dovetails by hand required a lot of practice and patience. As someone who revels in his obsessive compulsive side, this epiphany appealed to me more than pizza and beer on a Saturday night. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of beer, but I LOVE pizza; And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy.
> 
> As I cracked a diet dew, I decided that I would begin my study by buying a chisel. My general rule is to always buy the best I can find. My knowledge of chisels was limited to knowing how to spell chisel, and I only recently learned that. The internet pointed me towards Lie-Nielson. Several other articles taught me that socket chisels are nice because the handles are less prone to splitting. Apparently the steel should be around 60 - 62 something, so it is not too soft and not too hard. This sounded like a fairy tale about 3 bears and a porridge stealing juvenile delinquent. But who am I to question the wisdom of those who come before me?! Lie-Nielson chisels are of this design. I felt smarter just for knowing that. I decided that I wanted a set of bench chisels, a fish tail, skew chisel and possibly a 3/8 mortise chisel. They only cost $555.00.
> 
> With my brand new 3/8" Irwin chisel (around $10.00) in hand, I took the old mallet I had found in the garage, and tapped it gently into my practice wood. The Lie Nielson will have to come at a later date. The practice wood was a lovely little piece of hard maple; she had a nice figure and was a bit shy. I could tell it was her first time too. As I tapped that wood with my tool I felt nervous. Was I doing it right? Was I hurting my lovely piece of wood? Was it good for her?
> 
> 
> 
> An hour later I had finished. I had drilled and chiseled my way to my first mortise. I was sweating but filled with joy. Oh the euphoria. So this is what all the fuss is about! I had chiseled out a 2 and ¼ inch by 3/8" mortise and was now ready to think about moving onto the tenon. Of course, this would have to wait for another day, as I wasn't ready for another go. I just wanted to bask in the glow of my first mortise.
> I learned several interesting things about chisels. They are able to remove much thinner and cleaner shavings of wood than I would have imagined. I had assumed that they would take large chunks of wood with each hit. As I pared down the sides and brought the corners to 90 degrees(ish), the need for mastering hand tools became clearer than a D flawless diamond and quite possibly more valuable. I know now that if I can learn to use these wonderful tools, if I can make them do my bidding, then I just may be able to create a masterpiece or at the very least, a nice cutting board.
> 
> 
> 
> It is ironic that, two days before, I had been thinking how I might use my plunge router to cut the mortises I would need for the Krenov saw horses I was attempting. I still believe that it will be equally important to be able to cut them with power tools, and I will likely cut far more using a router than I will a chisel, in my lifetime. But I doubt that I will feel the same exhilaration.
> 
> So I discovered the joy of hand tools. I have since cut 7 mortises (4 without a drill) and 7 corresponding tenons by hand. The last 2 mortises (no drill) took less than 26 minutes each, which was a vast improvement over 1 hour. As I continued to meander through the wonderland, I happened upon a rabbit that said, "You should probably learn how to sharpen your chisel" and he winked. The wink made it seem dirty somehow. As I thought about the rabbit, I realized that this is why this journey is such a joy. Each day brings a new challenge. Each challenge opens a door. Each door leads to a hallway with more doors. I doubt I will ever find my way back to the mirror.
> 
> (Editor's Note: Ok, I don't actually have an editor, but I like the sound of it. I did want to say that I appreciate all the encouraging comments from the 1st post I threw up yesterday. As of the writing of this post there were 321 people who had read my previous post, and 3.4% of you chose to leave a comment. To the 96.4% who didn't comment, I can only assume that your mother told you, "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." To those non-posters, please feel free to mock my spelling, grammar or content…But NOT my hat…never my hat!)


Brian, this is a pretty good mortise, especially given that it was hand cut. I enjoy seeing hand skills developed as you are doing and have made myself a promise that I will work on mine, which I will freely admit to having long neglected them.

And don't worry too much about the non-comments. Your "rate of return" on your post was fairly normal. There are a few of us on board here who seem to post with abandon but, in general, the majority of members post infrequently at best.


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *Reflections of a Mortise*
> 
> 
> 
> Stepping through the beveled corner, art deco inlay, looking glass, into the world of woodworking is an experience that is humbling to say the least. On another woodworking site, a blogger posed the question, are 'Dovetails' overrated? The article was well written, the comments were astounding. The debate between the pro-tail vs. the pro-choice factions was more contentious than an abortion debate three days before a presidential election.
> 
> Wonderland indeed! The one point that I took away from the debate was that choosing to learn to cut dovetails by hand required a lot of practice and patience. As someone who revels in his obsessive compulsive side, this epiphany appealed to me more than pizza and beer on a Saturday night. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of beer, but I LOVE pizza; And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy.
> 
> As I cracked a diet dew, I decided that I would begin my study by buying a chisel. My general rule is to always buy the best I can find. My knowledge of chisels was limited to knowing how to spell chisel, and I only recently learned that. The internet pointed me towards Lie-Nielson. Several other articles taught me that socket chisels are nice because the handles are less prone to splitting. Apparently the steel should be around 60 - 62 something, so it is not too soft and not too hard. This sounded like a fairy tale about 3 bears and a porridge stealing juvenile delinquent. But who am I to question the wisdom of those who come before me?! Lie-Nielson chisels are of this design. I felt smarter just for knowing that. I decided that I wanted a set of bench chisels, a fish tail, skew chisel and possibly a 3/8 mortise chisel. They only cost $555.00.
> 
> With my brand new 3/8" Irwin chisel (around $10.00) in hand, I took the old mallet I had found in the garage, and tapped it gently into my practice wood. The Lie Nielson will have to come at a later date. The practice wood was a lovely little piece of hard maple; she had a nice figure and was a bit shy. I could tell it was her first time too. As I tapped that wood with my tool I felt nervous. Was I doing it right? Was I hurting my lovely piece of wood? Was it good for her?
> 
> 
> 
> An hour later I had finished. I had drilled and chiseled my way to my first mortise. I was sweating but filled with joy. Oh the euphoria. So this is what all the fuss is about! I had chiseled out a 2 and ¼ inch by 3/8" mortise and was now ready to think about moving onto the tenon. Of course, this would have to wait for another day, as I wasn't ready for another go. I just wanted to bask in the glow of my first mortise.
> I learned several interesting things about chisels. They are able to remove much thinner and cleaner shavings of wood than I would have imagined. I had assumed that they would take large chunks of wood with each hit. As I pared down the sides and brought the corners to 90 degrees(ish), the need for mastering hand tools became clearer than a D flawless diamond and quite possibly more valuable. I know now that if I can learn to use these wonderful tools, if I can make them do my bidding, then I just may be able to create a masterpiece or at the very least, a nice cutting board.
> 
> 
> 
> It is ironic that, two days before, I had been thinking how I might use my plunge router to cut the mortises I would need for the Krenov saw horses I was attempting. I still believe that it will be equally important to be able to cut them with power tools, and I will likely cut far more using a router than I will a chisel, in my lifetime. But I doubt that I will feel the same exhilaration.
> 
> So I discovered the joy of hand tools. I have since cut 7 mortises (4 without a drill) and 7 corresponding tenons by hand. The last 2 mortises (no drill) took less than 26 minutes each, which was a vast improvement over 1 hour. As I continued to meander through the wonderland, I happened upon a rabbit that said, "You should probably learn how to sharpen your chisel" and he winked. The wink made it seem dirty somehow. As I thought about the rabbit, I realized that this is why this journey is such a joy. Each day brings a new challenge. Each challenge opens a door. Each door leads to a hallway with more doors. I doubt I will ever find my way back to the mirror.
> 
> (Editor's Note: Ok, I don't actually have an editor, but I like the sound of it. I did want to say that I appreciate all the encouraging comments from the 1st post I threw up yesterday. As of the writing of this post there were 321 people who had read my previous post, and 3.4% of you chose to leave a comment. To the 96.4% who didn't comment, I can only assume that your mother told you, "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." To those non-posters, please feel free to mock my spelling, grammar or content…But NOT my hat…never my hat!)


Brian,
Another great post. I am currently working on building a pie safe. There are quite a few mortise and tenon joints on it. I still drill the mortises on my drill press and clean them out with chisels. To be honest, I enjoy doing it this way. It's just a hobby for me. My customer, in this case my wife, is very patient. Also, I am building it from pine, so it almost feels like I am cheating since it is like chiseling putty.

Hey - you are improving. As of this post, your comment rate is soaring to over 9.23%!


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Reflections of a Mortise*
> 
> 
> 
> Stepping through the beveled corner, art deco inlay, looking glass, into the world of woodworking is an experience that is humbling to say the least. On another woodworking site, a blogger posed the question, are 'Dovetails' overrated? The article was well written, the comments were astounding. The debate between the pro-tail vs. the pro-choice factions was more contentious than an abortion debate three days before a presidential election.
> 
> Wonderland indeed! The one point that I took away from the debate was that choosing to learn to cut dovetails by hand required a lot of practice and patience. As someone who revels in his obsessive compulsive side, this epiphany appealed to me more than pizza and beer on a Saturday night. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of beer, but I LOVE pizza; And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy.
> 
> As I cracked a diet dew, I decided that I would begin my study by buying a chisel. My general rule is to always buy the best I can find. My knowledge of chisels was limited to knowing how to spell chisel, and I only recently learned that. The internet pointed me towards Lie-Nielson. Several other articles taught me that socket chisels are nice because the handles are less prone to splitting. Apparently the steel should be around 60 - 62 something, so it is not too soft and not too hard. This sounded like a fairy tale about 3 bears and a porridge stealing juvenile delinquent. But who am I to question the wisdom of those who come before me?! Lie-Nielson chisels are of this design. I felt smarter just for knowing that. I decided that I wanted a set of bench chisels, a fish tail, skew chisel and possibly a 3/8 mortise chisel. They only cost $555.00.
> 
> With my brand new 3/8" Irwin chisel (around $10.00) in hand, I took the old mallet I had found in the garage, and tapped it gently into my practice wood. The Lie Nielson will have to come at a later date. The practice wood was a lovely little piece of hard maple; she had a nice figure and was a bit shy. I could tell it was her first time too. As I tapped that wood with my tool I felt nervous. Was I doing it right? Was I hurting my lovely piece of wood? Was it good for her?
> 
> 
> 
> An hour later I had finished. I had drilled and chiseled my way to my first mortise. I was sweating but filled with joy. Oh the euphoria. So this is what all the fuss is about! I had chiseled out a 2 and ¼ inch by 3/8" mortise and was now ready to think about moving onto the tenon. Of course, this would have to wait for another day, as I wasn't ready for another go. I just wanted to bask in the glow of my first mortise.
> I learned several interesting things about chisels. They are able to remove much thinner and cleaner shavings of wood than I would have imagined. I had assumed that they would take large chunks of wood with each hit. As I pared down the sides and brought the corners to 90 degrees(ish), the need for mastering hand tools became clearer than a D flawless diamond and quite possibly more valuable. I know now that if I can learn to use these wonderful tools, if I can make them do my bidding, then I just may be able to create a masterpiece or at the very least, a nice cutting board.
> 
> 
> 
> It is ironic that, two days before, I had been thinking how I might use my plunge router to cut the mortises I would need for the Krenov saw horses I was attempting. I still believe that it will be equally important to be able to cut them with power tools, and I will likely cut far more using a router than I will a chisel, in my lifetime. But I doubt that I will feel the same exhilaration.
> 
> So I discovered the joy of hand tools. I have since cut 7 mortises (4 without a drill) and 7 corresponding tenons by hand. The last 2 mortises (no drill) took less than 26 minutes each, which was a vast improvement over 1 hour. As I continued to meander through the wonderland, I happened upon a rabbit that said, "You should probably learn how to sharpen your chisel" and he winked. The wink made it seem dirty somehow. As I thought about the rabbit, I realized that this is why this journey is such a joy. Each day brings a new challenge. Each challenge opens a door. Each door leads to a hallway with more doors. I doubt I will ever find my way back to the mirror.
> 
> (Editor's Note: Ok, I don't actually have an editor, but I like the sound of it. I did want to say that I appreciate all the encouraging comments from the 1st post I threw up yesterday. As of the writing of this post there were 321 people who had read my previous post, and 3.4% of you chose to leave a comment. To the 96.4% who didn't comment, I can only assume that your mother told you, "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." To those non-posters, please feel free to mock my spelling, grammar or content…But NOT my hat…never my hat!)


Nice hat.

Your writing is pretty good too.

Mortises aren't bad either.

Welcome aboard!


----------



## davidroberts

Ecocandle said:


> *Reflections of a Mortise*
> 
> 
> 
> Stepping through the beveled corner, art deco inlay, looking glass, into the world of woodworking is an experience that is humbling to say the least. On another woodworking site, a blogger posed the question, are 'Dovetails' overrated? The article was well written, the comments were astounding. The debate between the pro-tail vs. the pro-choice factions was more contentious than an abortion debate three days before a presidential election.
> 
> Wonderland indeed! The one point that I took away from the debate was that choosing to learn to cut dovetails by hand required a lot of practice and patience. As someone who revels in his obsessive compulsive side, this epiphany appealed to me more than pizza and beer on a Saturday night. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of beer, but I LOVE pizza; And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy.
> 
> As I cracked a diet dew, I decided that I would begin my study by buying a chisel. My general rule is to always buy the best I can find. My knowledge of chisels was limited to knowing how to spell chisel, and I only recently learned that. The internet pointed me towards Lie-Nielson. Several other articles taught me that socket chisels are nice because the handles are less prone to splitting. Apparently the steel should be around 60 - 62 something, so it is not too soft and not too hard. This sounded like a fairy tale about 3 bears and a porridge stealing juvenile delinquent. But who am I to question the wisdom of those who come before me?! Lie-Nielson chisels are of this design. I felt smarter just for knowing that. I decided that I wanted a set of bench chisels, a fish tail, skew chisel and possibly a 3/8 mortise chisel. They only cost $555.00.
> 
> With my brand new 3/8" Irwin chisel (around $10.00) in hand, I took the old mallet I had found in the garage, and tapped it gently into my practice wood. The Lie Nielson will have to come at a later date. The practice wood was a lovely little piece of hard maple; she had a nice figure and was a bit shy. I could tell it was her first time too. As I tapped that wood with my tool I felt nervous. Was I doing it right? Was I hurting my lovely piece of wood? Was it good for her?
> 
> 
> 
> An hour later I had finished. I had drilled and chiseled my way to my first mortise. I was sweating but filled with joy. Oh the euphoria. So this is what all the fuss is about! I had chiseled out a 2 and ¼ inch by 3/8" mortise and was now ready to think about moving onto the tenon. Of course, this would have to wait for another day, as I wasn't ready for another go. I just wanted to bask in the glow of my first mortise.
> I learned several interesting things about chisels. They are able to remove much thinner and cleaner shavings of wood than I would have imagined. I had assumed that they would take large chunks of wood with each hit. As I pared down the sides and brought the corners to 90 degrees(ish), the need for mastering hand tools became clearer than a D flawless diamond and quite possibly more valuable. I know now that if I can learn to use these wonderful tools, if I can make them do my bidding, then I just may be able to create a masterpiece or at the very least, a nice cutting board.
> 
> 
> 
> It is ironic that, two days before, I had been thinking how I might use my plunge router to cut the mortises I would need for the Krenov saw horses I was attempting. I still believe that it will be equally important to be able to cut them with power tools, and I will likely cut far more using a router than I will a chisel, in my lifetime. But I doubt that I will feel the same exhilaration.
> 
> So I discovered the joy of hand tools. I have since cut 7 mortises (4 without a drill) and 7 corresponding tenons by hand. The last 2 mortises (no drill) took less than 26 minutes each, which was a vast improvement over 1 hour. As I continued to meander through the wonderland, I happened upon a rabbit that said, "You should probably learn how to sharpen your chisel" and he winked. The wink made it seem dirty somehow. As I thought about the rabbit, I realized that this is why this journey is such a joy. Each day brings a new challenge. Each challenge opens a door. Each door leads to a hallway with more doors. I doubt I will ever find my way back to the mirror.
> 
> (Editor's Note: Ok, I don't actually have an editor, but I like the sound of it. I did want to say that I appreciate all the encouraging comments from the 1st post I threw up yesterday. As of the writing of this post there were 321 people who had read my previous post, and 3.4% of you chose to leave a comment. To the 96.4% who didn't comment, I can only assume that your mother told you, "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." To those non-posters, please feel free to mock my spelling, grammar or content…But NOT my hat…never my hat!)


"And I didn't want say 'Pizza and Diet Dew', lest any readers think I am a big sissy." Ha, that's funny. Not that your dapper hat would lead to any conjecture. Hey just kidding. Whatever your persuasion is welcomed here. Most folks click on and scan a post or blog, and move on to the next. I read more than a line or two in yours because (1) it has pics and (2) I wanted to hear how you explained that mortise. Just think what a zen moment you will have with a Lie Nielson in your hand. I have heard rumors that just the mere threat of a LN chisel on the bench will make a mortice straighten up and fly right. Let us know how those LNs work out for you. Lumberjocks is a great place to learn about sharpening those LNs, also. Welcome aboard.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Tenuous Grasp*



"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
-Alfred Lord Tennyson

As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.

What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.

After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.

I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.

I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.

I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.



I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.

Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.

I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.

The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!

With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.



Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.

1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
3. What is your favorite land mammal?

With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.

"The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
-Alfred Lord Tennyson


----------



## jlsmith5963

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


I have always considered the tenon to be the sad and lonely one, always looking for any mortise that will let him, i mean it, in…. so to speak


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


Brian, you are making progress and I am sure your tenons are far better than mine would be. I shudder to think what they would look like if I tried to cut them by hand. Sadly, I have long neglected development of my hand skills but lately I have at least made a mental commitment to work on "honing" my hand skiils.

If I were going to cut tenons routinely by hand I would get a tenon saw from Lie Nielsen. I am a firm believer that it is better to cry once when you buy a tool rather than the multitude of times that you use it. Actually I probably would get two and keep one for rip cuts and have the other one filed for cross cuts.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


I have considered the LN saws. Right now they are in the running. I hope to get some more feedback, before I pull the trigger. I expect to make my decision on Thursday at 8:37 in the evening.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


Hmmmm. When I use to try to do these things by hand, I remember that a tenon saw was the tool to use. Followed by a rabit plane (without the camber). You want them to be just the right 'tightness' but having square shoulders is a big concern both for beauty and strength.

You could also just have fun chopping mortises and use loose tenons (little blocks of wood that join two tenons).

Steve


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


You're off to a great start! Your writing makes the journey fun to follow.

I can offer a hint - hope I can describe it well enough. You can try cutting a relief on the shoulder of the tenon. This is the area where the end grain is showing around the base of the tenon. The relief cut is one where you leave about 1/16 (or less) around the outside of the shoulder. Then you angle down the rest of the shoulder (only a little - 1/32 or less). The idea is that the jont is then sealed at the outside and makes it easier to create a tight looking joint.

Hope that makes sense. (Still like the hat)

PS. Here is a FWW article does a better job…


----------



## roman

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


when I was in school in what seems like a century ago, we had to make a perfectly square box, then cut out and mortise a perfectly square lid….then…...........they taught me how to really $%@# a mans head around with handtools.

in the event of cutting wood with handtools, to the left or right of the pencil line, or cut the pencil line off, and when met with failure, should never be blamed on your tools.


----------



## beckerswoodworks

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


Brian, thanks for the very entertaining blog. It's fascinating to hear about someone making the same mistakes and experiencing the same 'ah ha' moments that most wood workers go through when starting out. I was tempted to recommend you take some classes so that you could save yourself some time by learning some of the 'ah ha's from someone who's been through them but I suspect your having much more fun figuring it out on your own so I think you should keep it up exactly as your doing it. Plus a bunch of us are really enjoying the blog…

My answers to your questions:
1. No idea. 15+ years of woodworking (13 doing it for a living) and I have never cut a mortise or tenon by hand. You've probobly already surpassed my skill level with hand tools. I've also cut very few using power tools but I have worn out countless biscuit cutters.
2. see #1
3. Pig. Preferably wrapped in bannana leaves and slow roasted in a pit luau style. (my apologies if your a vegetarian)


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


I was entertained by your article and bemused by your serious concern over the mortise and tenon.
However, I have rarely (read never) hand cut either mortise or tenon. I do the mortise with a router and the tenon with a table saw. A sharp chisel is used to refine the joint. I find the skill set more easily attained, leaving me to other, more tantalising matters, such as design of cabinets and learning SketchUp.
My answer to the 3rd question must be: The elephant.
Or is it the human?
I can't decide.
Oh well.
d


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


1. don't know
2. don't know
3. deer

loved reading your blog even though I have no experience with tenons


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


Thanks everyone for your comments and tips.

Don: You are right I am enjoying the journey…but I do intend to take classes at some point. Right now I work for a start up company and it takes most of my time, so I will sneak a class in when it slows down, probably in a couple of years. Loved your answer to #3

Don "Dances with Wood" Butler: I love sketchup, and I intend to show off one of my sketchup creations in a future blog post. Elephant may be my favorite land mamal too.

Ms. DebbieP: Thanks for answereing question 3!


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


yup.. that's the reason - isn't it beautiful! 
fantastic photo


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


Thanks MsDebbieP…I took that Christmas morning. It's mother was near by, keeping a close eye on the little one.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


makes it even more special.. not everyone gets to see such beauty


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


Hey Brian
Enjoy you humor and writing style it sure beats my left handed dyslexic style. I believe Charles Neil was commenting on a very good saw in his news letter , If you like you might want to sign up to receive it.
You will want a shoulder plane also (not for your shoulder) and having very sharp chisels helps also. 
All said and done The best tool for the job is a table saw and tenoning jig. Shhhhh don't tell Roy Underhill.
Land mammal the Dog hands down. I like you post they help my reading skills and vocabulary, to late for proper english and spelling )


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *A Tenuous Grasp*
> 
> 
> 
> "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson
> 
> As you may know, I have mortised. Can mortise be used as a verb? Obviously it can, though I am sure my 7th grade English teacher is rolling over in her grave. Actually, I don't know if she is dead, probably just wishful thinking on my part. I digress.
> 
> What is a mortise without a tenon? It is sad. It is lonely. It is unfulfilled. It is ying without yang, peanut butter without jelly, Simon without Garfield. Ok that last one wasn't a good example, as Paul Simon has done pretty well solo. Apparently I am still digressing.
> 
> After my 3 practice mortises and 4 real mortises, I realized it was time to create a verb out of tenon. I have read all sorts of interesting articles giving techniques and jigs one can use to cut tenons on the router table or table saw. I have neither yet. In a fit of impulse buying I had purchased a lovely coping saw a few weeks earlier. A Robert Larson saw made in Germany. I reasoned that with all the Germans have had to cope with in the last 100 years; they probably know a thing or two about this type of saw.
> 
> I find my coping saw to be quite wonderful. It cuts nicely, but alas it is not the tool for tenoning. I know this now. I am still very pleased to have it in my tool collection. I decided to try my Marples Japanese hand saw. I had not really used it in earnest before. It has two distinct types of teeth on it. This seemed to me to be significant and I reasoned that I should find out what each set of teeth was designed to do.
> 
> I wondered over to finewoodworking.com, where I gladly pay $4.95 per month to be a member. I figured I could find something about Japanese hand saws, and while I was looking I saw an article, "Guide for Cambering a Jack Plane Blade". I don't know what 'Cambering' is. I am equally uniformed as to what a 'Jack Plane' does. I assume it flattens large blocks of cheese. Not wanting to get distracted I passed on this article.
> 
> I found a wonderful article which had a diagram, which was vastly superior to the one I have here. Now I just needed to find a definition of 'rip' and 'crosscut', and I would be set.
> 
> 
> 
> I meticulously marked the board, took my saw to the basement, and clamped my bit 'o' hard maple into the vice. I decided I would cut off the short blocks on the end of the tenon first. This didn't take long at all. I then sawed the long bits off. I now had a tenon with four shoulders that were grotesquely uneven. Not to worry. I grabbed my trusty Black and Decker mouse sander and went to work. This was an abysmal failure. I now had shoulders that were smooth but not flat. Wisdom gained.
> 
> Never being one to get too stressed about failure, I decided I would take my mallet and see about gently inserting the tenon into the mortise. By gently I mean hammering it like Thor. This worked nicely, and though there was only one side of the combination that looked reasonable, it was so solid I couldn't pull it apart.
> 
> I have since learned that that first mortise tenon combo was too tight. It seems that when glue is applied the tenon will swell a bit. Though I didn't know that the joint was too tight at the time, I did know that it looked dreadful. So I brutally unjoined my joint and set the two pieces on the table. It was apparent that my grasp of tenon cutting was tenuous at best. I decided to sleep on it.
> 
> The next day I thought about it some more. It would be best to approach the cut differently. I would draw a box around the piece of wood, where the shoulders are supposed to be, and cut that first. It worked slightly better than my first method. Then as I was comparing the two, I had an 'ah ha' moment. I bet that the Master Woodworkers, clean up their tenons with their chisels!
> 
> With the speed of an Indy car driver, I grabbed my chisel and sheared off a bit of the shoulder. This was fun, and appeared to be helping. I spent a good deal of time chiseling off tiny bits here and there, occasionally setting my chisel on the shoulder and using it to see how close I was to flat, and then I learned a valuable lesson. If you are chiseling across a shoulder and coming up on the end of the board, it is best to stop and chisel back into the board. I learned this when I shaved the slightest bit off the shoulder and took a huge chunk out of the side.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I tackled the last two I looked up the best way to start a cut with a Japanese handsaw. I also drew a secondary box 1/32 below the 1st one. This made thing easier. I cut to the 1st box and chiseled to the 2nd one. It was also brought to my attention that one should hold the saw near the end of the handle, not apply too much downward pressure, and to just let the saw cut. Apparently these types of saws like to cut in straight lines. I am not sure that my saw is aware of this, but it does a pretty good job. A good enough job that I am planning on upgrading to a better saw. Any ideas or suggestions from the peanut gallery would be greatly appreciated. In fact, here are three questions I would love to have answered.
> 
> 1. What is the best Japanese handsaw for cutting tenons or dovetails?
> 2. How do you get clean and flat shoulders on your tenons? (if you cut them by hand)
> 3. What is your favorite land mammal?
> 
> With my newly acquired knowledge I was able to improve the tenons marginally. I would give my tenons a c+, but only because the class is graded on the curve, and I intentionally signed up for woodworking for toddlers. Those 3 year olds with their barely developed motor skills, they make me laugh. In all seriousness though, I would imagine that just like in all other aspects of woodworking, practice goes a long ways towards perfection. So I am going to keep at it.
> 
> "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."
> -Alfred Lord Tennyson


Answers, in the wrong order…

Dogs and Horses. Admittedly, I let dogs live in the house with me and not horses so I guess the dogs win.

I enjoyed the read. I was told to go the British for my handcutting dovetail saws. Doesn't mean "they" are right… considering my jobs are still sloppy, I wonder if I should switch continents.

The jig is the thing to keeping your tenons clean. Speaking of Charles Neil, I was watching one of his videos last night and had an "aha, oh wow" moment about tenons. Jim did the review recently of his latest set of DVDs → http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/1086


----------



## Ecocandle

*Out Into The Cold*



It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.

I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.

I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.

This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.

I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.


As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.

Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)



They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


----------



## Jimi_C

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


If you're a techie, you shouldn't have bought the magnets  Hard drives have rare earth magnets in them, just requires a little work to get them out.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


Magnets come in handy for gaining access to secret compartments. Of course the compartments only stay secret if you never show anyone the neat thing you did with magnets!

And don't put disc drives in your secret compartments…


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


Shoes,magnets and cats oh my.


----------



## randyb

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


One thing is for certian most cats hate woodworking, but there is one thing they hate more and thats magnets.


----------



## Karson

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


But cats love red lazer pointers.

I got 2 magents out of two hard drives today. Getting rid of a couple of 4 gig drives. In the day with 1.5TB drives - 4 Gigs seem awful small.


----------



## randyb

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


yes they do love laser pointers, as do I


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


I love laser pointers, cats, and have a 4 TB hard drive. Thanks for stopping over and checking out my ramblings.


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


Brian, I read your post, and I am not sure that I can ever understand the reasoning behind the shoes. My wife has a similar passion that also includes purses and clothing. But seriously why does anyone need 30 purses? I have one wallet that has lasted me for at least two decades (probably because it gets very little use and it never has a lot stored in it).  Maybe I could understand it more it her passion ran to tools. At least they get used on a regular basis unlike the shoes and purses which largely just sit in the closets.


----------



## asthesawturns

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


Really cold here in the Twin cities area of Minnesota, too. I finnally gave up on working in my unheated garage, its just too cold, I can't wear enough layers to stay warm and also move accurately enough to work on projects. The end is in sight, sometime around sunday it will warm up. Did go to Menards yesterday though, and forgot to buy biscuits.


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


Brian,
Speaking of rare earth magnets, have you seen this? I know that this product has been discussed here before, but since you are the new guy, I thought I would pass it on to you.


----------



## cabinetmaster

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


For $119….................I'd make my own…..............LOL


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


Thanks for all the comments everyone.

ChuckV: I had not seen that, but the phrase '3/8" thick Japanese white sword-steel' has made me covet one of these belts. I am sooo easily swayed by good ad copy.

Andrew: I am glad you went and "Saved good money at Manards", I am saddened that you are unable to work in your shop/garage.


----------



## FatherHooligan

Ecocandle said:


> *Out Into The Cold*
> 
> 
> 
> It is cold in Iowa today. It was cold yesterday too. It will be cold tomorrow. Despite this I realized that I hadn't been to Home Depot, Menards, or Acme Tool in several days. I was beginning to get that itch. I needed a fix. So I bundled up and hopped in the car and off I went.
> 
> I had a vague desire to buy some rare earth magnets. Do I have a project that requires magnets? No, of course not, I just really wanted them. The reason that the advertising industry is so successful is that there are people like me. I recently read an article or saw an ad about rare earth magnets. I don't remember which it was. I just know that the seed was planted in my mind that they are really cool.
> 
> I have no idea what sort of woodworker I will be. Will I faithfully reproduce a 1755 George Haupt commode? Perhaps a Federal chest of drawer will strike my fancy? Or a Greene and Greene inspired end table? Right now, I couldn't say where this journey will take me. I do know that I like to learn how to do new things. So it is quite likely that I will pick many of my early projects, based upon the skills they require to complete, rather than what I would like to have when I am done. I am learning how to use hand tools now, so for the foreseeable future there will be lots of gratuitous chisel work.
> 
> This brings me to the point of today's rambling. The joy of woodworking extends well beyond the physical construction. I take pleasure in reading about woodworking, or watching The Woodsmith Shop on Iowa Public television, or just thinking about projects that might be in my future. Of course one of the best rushes, as far as I can tell, is looking at, learning about, and buying new tools and woodworking accessories.
> 
> I knew a woman once, a professional Jazz singer. She did very well financially. She tried to explain to me why she had over 1000 pairs of shoes, she tried to justify it by explaining that many of the pairs were less than $350.00, she described the feeling she had just owning them. I did the math. I couldn't conceive of a world where I would want to spend $350,000 dollars on anything that didn't have a walk out balcony and a view. It was what she loved and she had the money.
> 
> 
> As I left Acme tools, having drooled over a random orbital sander and vacuum from Festool ($800 ish), the $3000 Saw Stop table saw, and tens of thousands of dollars of Freud and Amana router bits, I thought about the woman with the shoes. I think I finally understand her love of shoes.
> 
> Magnets in my pocket, carefully placed on the opposite side from my wallet, I headed home. When I got home I looked around and realized that in my world, one of tech, most things I own hate magnets. I spend most of my life at my computer, or more accurately surrounded by my computers. It was clear that the only place that it would be safe to take them out and play with them, was in the basement, among my tools. I love tech, but I also love it that the magnets won't erase the hard drive on my 9" Jet vice. Sitting at my workbench I took out the magnets. I bought both ¾" magnets and the little holder thingies (I like to use technical terms whenever possible, in this case it wasn't possible, as I would have had to get up and go all the way downstairs to find out what they are called. Perhaps not possible is too strong, let's say that it was inconvenient, and I couldn't be bothered. My daily digression)
> 
> 
> 
> They are fun. I like to learn something about woodworking every day. The other day I learned that if one has rare earth magnets and one puts them in the little holder thingies, it increases their strength by 4x. Today I learned that if one is playing with their new rare earth magnets and puts one into its holder thingy, it is no small feat to get them back out again. I used my vice and a poking device. I put the magnets back in their little case and the thingy back in its case, and put them in a drawer. I felt satiated. I had made an impulse purchase, which was loosely related to woodworking, and I had gotten out of the house. The only problem I can see with today, and this blog post, is that it hasn't lent itself well to photos. So I have included several gratuitous cat photos. His name is Harley. He is NOT my cat. He is however, a master craftsman, specializing in reproducing the works of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (Ok, that last part isn't true. Harley is a cat, he doesn't have opposable thumbs)


ChuckV!!! I had my credit card out ready to order… good thing I clicked on the 'For more information' link LOL!


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Gritty Performance*



It was a gritty performance to say the least. Our hero was struggling with his new wet stone, trying to practice the ancient art of chisel sharpening. The problem was that the wet stone, was, well, wet. The slightest pressure on the chisel and the coefficient of friction would be great enough that the stone would move too. This angered our hero. With a head full of rage and a fair amount of walnut lying around, he set out to put an end to the torment.

As some of you may know, if you have been following my feeble attempt at progressing along the path of the woodworker, that after tumbling down the rabbit hole and discovering the joy of the hand cut mortise, I ran into a rabbit. The rabbit spoke perfect English, which is unusual, and he told me that I should learn to sharpen my chisel.

Naturally I turned to the World Wide Web for guidance. Some of the comments regarding the sharpening of chisels and planes were less than encouraging. Basically they went something like this. Disgruntled Woodworker: "I have been building knick and on occasion knacks for years. Some of those knacks require the use of a chisel. I don't mind using it, but I would rather take a sharp stick to the eye, than try to sharpen my chisel. In fact, I would rather sharpen the stick." It seemed that the general consensus is that with the exception of several Japanese monks, and a handful of woodworkers in a bunker in Maine, the job of sharpening by hand cannot be mastered.



Then the articles go on to tell me how easy it is. I am definitely a glass is half full sort of person, so I figured it was possible for me to learn. I bought a small device which is designed to help get the correct angle. I also picked up a 1000 & 6000 grit King Combination Stone, the K-80S. Unlike most of my tool purchases, I did little research on this purchase and simply picked the one in the box I liked best. It had Japanese characters on it, and I knew that meant it was of high quality.



I read the directions. I learned that it is important to soak it for 3 - 5 minutes before using. I learned from the articles that the monks and woodworkers from Maine keep their stones in plastic containers filled with water all the time. My small plastic bread holder got promoted to wet stone holder. It is large enough that I will be able to add an 8000 grit stone to it, once I find one in a suitably colorful box. The articles also showed how one could take a piece of glass and use sticky glue and sand paper to do something or other. I really glossed over this part because I wanted a wet stone! All the cool monks have them these days.

I have now spent many hours sharpening on my wet stone. I found some old chisels in the garage. My garage is filled with a treasure trove of old tools. I have no idea what all is in there, but it seems that when I really need something, it makes itself known to me. The chisels are of dubious quality, and are probably not as good as the 2 low end ones I have purchased, but they are chisels, they can be sharpened and that is good practice. I assume that the only way you can become a sharpening monk is to practice, and be able to walk the rice paper.



The only gripe I had with the sharpening process, which I actually didn't mind at all, was that the stone kept moving. I have a limited skill set. Basically I can take a piece of wood and chisel a mortise into it, or cut a tenon on the end. Fortunately for me, that is enough to do what I wanted. I took one of my 5 ft pieces of walnut, cut off 16 inches worth, sanded it to 400 grit, and drew a line on the board around my wet stone.
I should mention that the other day, while at Acme Tools, I picked up another nugget of woodworking knowledge. If one sands to 400 grit, it makes applying stain nearly impossible. It was explained to me that at that grit, one is burnishing the wood. The pores become polished to the point that they won't absorb the stain very well. I figured that burnishing the wood on my wet stone holder was a good idea. So I sanded it to within 7/8ths inch of its life.



With a box drawn, I took chisel in hand and went at it. It was really fun. I feel as if I am improving every day with using the chisel. Today's project was a tremendous exercise. I am getting braver. I am taking larger chunks out. I am controlling the chisel more. I am ending up with a cleaner result.
The question that I am sure many of you will have, is how many freaking words can 'chisel boy' write about hogging out mortises? The answer might frighten you, so I will just let you find out for yourselves. At least I did something today that could be photographed, not that you didn't enjoy the cat photos, but I am sure that animals again today, would have been met with scorn. So in conclusion I would like to sum thing up by saying…"The End".


----------



## smartlikestick

Ecocandle said:


> *A Gritty Performance*
> 
> 
> 
> It was a gritty performance to say the least. Our hero was struggling with his new wet stone, trying to practice the ancient art of chisel sharpening. The problem was that the wet stone, was, well, wet. The slightest pressure on the chisel and the coefficient of friction would be great enough that the stone would move too. This angered our hero. With a head full of rage and a fair amount of walnut lying around, he set out to put an end to the torment.
> 
> As some of you may know, if you have been following my feeble attempt at progressing along the path of the woodworker, that after tumbling down the rabbit hole and discovering the joy of the hand cut mortise, I ran into a rabbit. The rabbit spoke perfect English, which is unusual, and he told me that I should learn to sharpen my chisel.
> 
> Naturally I turned to the World Wide Web for guidance. Some of the comments regarding the sharpening of chisels and planes were less than encouraging. Basically they went something like this. Disgruntled Woodworker: "I have been building knick and on occasion knacks for years. Some of those knacks require the use of a chisel. I don't mind using it, but I would rather take a sharp stick to the eye, than try to sharpen my chisel. In fact, I would rather sharpen the stick." It seemed that the general consensus is that with the exception of several Japanese monks, and a handful of woodworkers in a bunker in Maine, the job of sharpening by hand cannot be mastered.
> 
> 
> 
> Then the articles go on to tell me how easy it is. I am definitely a glass is half full sort of person, so I figured it was possible for me to learn. I bought a small device which is designed to help get the correct angle. I also picked up a 1000 & 6000 grit King Combination Stone, the K-80S. Unlike most of my tool purchases, I did little research on this purchase and simply picked the one in the box I liked best. It had Japanese characters on it, and I knew that meant it was of high quality.
> 
> 
> 
> I read the directions. I learned that it is important to soak it for 3 - 5 minutes before using. I learned from the articles that the monks and woodworkers from Maine keep their stones in plastic containers filled with water all the time. My small plastic bread holder got promoted to wet stone holder. It is large enough that I will be able to add an 8000 grit stone to it, once I find one in a suitably colorful box. The articles also showed how one could take a piece of glass and use sticky glue and sand paper to do something or other. I really glossed over this part because I wanted a wet stone! All the cool monks have them these days.
> 
> I have now spent many hours sharpening on my wet stone. I found some old chisels in the garage. My garage is filled with a treasure trove of old tools. I have no idea what all is in there, but it seems that when I really need something, it makes itself known to me. The chisels are of dubious quality, and are probably not as good as the 2 low end ones I have purchased, but they are chisels, they can be sharpened and that is good practice. I assume that the only way you can become a sharpening monk is to practice, and be able to walk the rice paper.
> 
> 
> 
> The only gripe I had with the sharpening process, which I actually didn't mind at all, was that the stone kept moving. I have a limited skill set. Basically I can take a piece of wood and chisel a mortise into it, or cut a tenon on the end. Fortunately for me, that is enough to do what I wanted. I took one of my 5 ft pieces of walnut, cut off 16 inches worth, sanded it to 400 grit, and drew a line on the board around my wet stone.
> I should mention that the other day, while at Acme Tools, I picked up another nugget of woodworking knowledge. If one sands to 400 grit, it makes applying stain nearly impossible. It was explained to me that at that grit, one is burnishing the wood. The pores become polished to the point that they won't absorb the stain very well. I figured that burnishing the wood on my wet stone holder was a good idea. So I sanded it to within 7/8ths inch of its life.
> 
> 
> 
> With a box drawn, I took chisel in hand and went at it. It was really fun. I feel as if I am improving every day with using the chisel. Today's project was a tremendous exercise. I am getting braver. I am taking larger chunks out. I am controlling the chisel more. I am ending up with a cleaner result.
> The question that I am sure many of you will have, is how many freaking words can 'chisel boy' write about hogging out mortises? The answer might frighten you, so I will just let you find out for yourselves. At least I did something today that could be photographed, not that you didn't enjoy the cat photos, but I am sure that animals again today, would have been met with scorn. So in conclusion I would like to sum thing up by saying…"The End".


As always a pleasure to read!


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *A Gritty Performance*
> 
> 
> 
> It was a gritty performance to say the least. Our hero was struggling with his new wet stone, trying to practice the ancient art of chisel sharpening. The problem was that the wet stone, was, well, wet. The slightest pressure on the chisel and the coefficient of friction would be great enough that the stone would move too. This angered our hero. With a head full of rage and a fair amount of walnut lying around, he set out to put an end to the torment.
> 
> As some of you may know, if you have been following my feeble attempt at progressing along the path of the woodworker, that after tumbling down the rabbit hole and discovering the joy of the hand cut mortise, I ran into a rabbit. The rabbit spoke perfect English, which is unusual, and he told me that I should learn to sharpen my chisel.
> 
> Naturally I turned to the World Wide Web for guidance. Some of the comments regarding the sharpening of chisels and planes were less than encouraging. Basically they went something like this. Disgruntled Woodworker: "I have been building knick and on occasion knacks for years. Some of those knacks require the use of a chisel. I don't mind using it, but I would rather take a sharp stick to the eye, than try to sharpen my chisel. In fact, I would rather sharpen the stick." It seemed that the general consensus is that with the exception of several Japanese monks, and a handful of woodworkers in a bunker in Maine, the job of sharpening by hand cannot be mastered.
> 
> 
> 
> Then the articles go on to tell me how easy it is. I am definitely a glass is half full sort of person, so I figured it was possible for me to learn. I bought a small device which is designed to help get the correct angle. I also picked up a 1000 & 6000 grit King Combination Stone, the K-80S. Unlike most of my tool purchases, I did little research on this purchase and simply picked the one in the box I liked best. It had Japanese characters on it, and I knew that meant it was of high quality.
> 
> 
> 
> I read the directions. I learned that it is important to soak it for 3 - 5 minutes before using. I learned from the articles that the monks and woodworkers from Maine keep their stones in plastic containers filled with water all the time. My small plastic bread holder got promoted to wet stone holder. It is large enough that I will be able to add an 8000 grit stone to it, once I find one in a suitably colorful box. The articles also showed how one could take a piece of glass and use sticky glue and sand paper to do something or other. I really glossed over this part because I wanted a wet stone! All the cool monks have them these days.
> 
> I have now spent many hours sharpening on my wet stone. I found some old chisels in the garage. My garage is filled with a treasure trove of old tools. I have no idea what all is in there, but it seems that when I really need something, it makes itself known to me. The chisels are of dubious quality, and are probably not as good as the 2 low end ones I have purchased, but they are chisels, they can be sharpened and that is good practice. I assume that the only way you can become a sharpening monk is to practice, and be able to walk the rice paper.
> 
> 
> 
> The only gripe I had with the sharpening process, which I actually didn't mind at all, was that the stone kept moving. I have a limited skill set. Basically I can take a piece of wood and chisel a mortise into it, or cut a tenon on the end. Fortunately for me, that is enough to do what I wanted. I took one of my 5 ft pieces of walnut, cut off 16 inches worth, sanded it to 400 grit, and drew a line on the board around my wet stone.
> I should mention that the other day, while at Acme Tools, I picked up another nugget of woodworking knowledge. If one sands to 400 grit, it makes applying stain nearly impossible. It was explained to me that at that grit, one is burnishing the wood. The pores become polished to the point that they won't absorb the stain very well. I figured that burnishing the wood on my wet stone holder was a good idea. So I sanded it to within 7/8ths inch of its life.
> 
> 
> 
> With a box drawn, I took chisel in hand and went at it. It was really fun. I feel as if I am improving every day with using the chisel. Today's project was a tremendous exercise. I am getting braver. I am taking larger chunks out. I am controlling the chisel more. I am ending up with a cleaner result.
> The question that I am sure many of you will have, is how many freaking words can 'chisel boy' write about hogging out mortises? The answer might frighten you, so I will just let you find out for yourselves. At least I did something today that could be photographed, not that you didn't enjoy the cat photos, but I am sure that animals again today, would have been met with scorn. So in conclusion I would like to sum thing up by saying…"The End".


makes one wonder how 
woodworkers managed ,
throughout the century's .

this is probably why son #2 ,
was always sent to the monk schools ?

and why they weren't allowed 
to do any actual work for years .

they sharpened chisels !


----------



## THEGREATPUMPKIN

Ecocandle said:


> *A Gritty Performance*
> 
> 
> 
> It was a gritty performance to say the least. Our hero was struggling with his new wet stone, trying to practice the ancient art of chisel sharpening. The problem was that the wet stone, was, well, wet. The slightest pressure on the chisel and the coefficient of friction would be great enough that the stone would move too. This angered our hero. With a head full of rage and a fair amount of walnut lying around, he set out to put an end to the torment.
> 
> As some of you may know, if you have been following my feeble attempt at progressing along the path of the woodworker, that after tumbling down the rabbit hole and discovering the joy of the hand cut mortise, I ran into a rabbit. The rabbit spoke perfect English, which is unusual, and he told me that I should learn to sharpen my chisel.
> 
> Naturally I turned to the World Wide Web for guidance. Some of the comments regarding the sharpening of chisels and planes were less than encouraging. Basically they went something like this. Disgruntled Woodworker: "I have been building knick and on occasion knacks for years. Some of those knacks require the use of a chisel. I don't mind using it, but I would rather take a sharp stick to the eye, than try to sharpen my chisel. In fact, I would rather sharpen the stick." It seemed that the general consensus is that with the exception of several Japanese monks, and a handful of woodworkers in a bunker in Maine, the job of sharpening by hand cannot be mastered.
> 
> 
> 
> Then the articles go on to tell me how easy it is. I am definitely a glass is half full sort of person, so I figured it was possible for me to learn. I bought a small device which is designed to help get the correct angle. I also picked up a 1000 & 6000 grit King Combination Stone, the K-80S. Unlike most of my tool purchases, I did little research on this purchase and simply picked the one in the box I liked best. It had Japanese characters on it, and I knew that meant it was of high quality.
> 
> 
> 
> I read the directions. I learned that it is important to soak it for 3 - 5 minutes before using. I learned from the articles that the monks and woodworkers from Maine keep their stones in plastic containers filled with water all the time. My small plastic bread holder got promoted to wet stone holder. It is large enough that I will be able to add an 8000 grit stone to it, once I find one in a suitably colorful box. The articles also showed how one could take a piece of glass and use sticky glue and sand paper to do something or other. I really glossed over this part because I wanted a wet stone! All the cool monks have them these days.
> 
> I have now spent many hours sharpening on my wet stone. I found some old chisels in the garage. My garage is filled with a treasure trove of old tools. I have no idea what all is in there, but it seems that when I really need something, it makes itself known to me. The chisels are of dubious quality, and are probably not as good as the 2 low end ones I have purchased, but they are chisels, they can be sharpened and that is good practice. I assume that the only way you can become a sharpening monk is to practice, and be able to walk the rice paper.
> 
> 
> 
> The only gripe I had with the sharpening process, which I actually didn't mind at all, was that the stone kept moving. I have a limited skill set. Basically I can take a piece of wood and chisel a mortise into it, or cut a tenon on the end. Fortunately for me, that is enough to do what I wanted. I took one of my 5 ft pieces of walnut, cut off 16 inches worth, sanded it to 400 grit, and drew a line on the board around my wet stone.
> I should mention that the other day, while at Acme Tools, I picked up another nugget of woodworking knowledge. If one sands to 400 grit, it makes applying stain nearly impossible. It was explained to me that at that grit, one is burnishing the wood. The pores become polished to the point that they won't absorb the stain very well. I figured that burnishing the wood on my wet stone holder was a good idea. So I sanded it to within 7/8ths inch of its life.
> 
> 
> 
> With a box drawn, I took chisel in hand and went at it. It was really fun. I feel as if I am improving every day with using the chisel. Today's project was a tremendous exercise. I am getting braver. I am taking larger chunks out. I am controlling the chisel more. I am ending up with a cleaner result.
> The question that I am sure many of you will have, is how many freaking words can 'chisel boy' write about hogging out mortises? The answer might frighten you, so I will just let you find out for yourselves. At least I did something today that could be photographed, not that you didn't enjoy the cat photos, but I am sure that animals again today, would have been met with scorn. So in conclusion I would like to sum thing up by saying…"The End".


Really enjoy reading about your adventures in woodworking,looking foward to the next installment. I can relate to what you're going through. JIM


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *A Gritty Performance*
> 
> 
> 
> It was a gritty performance to say the least. Our hero was struggling with his new wet stone, trying to practice the ancient art of chisel sharpening. The problem was that the wet stone, was, well, wet. The slightest pressure on the chisel and the coefficient of friction would be great enough that the stone would move too. This angered our hero. With a head full of rage and a fair amount of walnut lying around, he set out to put an end to the torment.
> 
> As some of you may know, if you have been following my feeble attempt at progressing along the path of the woodworker, that after tumbling down the rabbit hole and discovering the joy of the hand cut mortise, I ran into a rabbit. The rabbit spoke perfect English, which is unusual, and he told me that I should learn to sharpen my chisel.
> 
> Naturally I turned to the World Wide Web for guidance. Some of the comments regarding the sharpening of chisels and planes were less than encouraging. Basically they went something like this. Disgruntled Woodworker: "I have been building knick and on occasion knacks for years. Some of those knacks require the use of a chisel. I don't mind using it, but I would rather take a sharp stick to the eye, than try to sharpen my chisel. In fact, I would rather sharpen the stick." It seemed that the general consensus is that with the exception of several Japanese monks, and a handful of woodworkers in a bunker in Maine, the job of sharpening by hand cannot be mastered.
> 
> 
> 
> Then the articles go on to tell me how easy it is. I am definitely a glass is half full sort of person, so I figured it was possible for me to learn. I bought a small device which is designed to help get the correct angle. I also picked up a 1000 & 6000 grit King Combination Stone, the K-80S. Unlike most of my tool purchases, I did little research on this purchase and simply picked the one in the box I liked best. It had Japanese characters on it, and I knew that meant it was of high quality.
> 
> 
> 
> I read the directions. I learned that it is important to soak it for 3 - 5 minutes before using. I learned from the articles that the monks and woodworkers from Maine keep their stones in plastic containers filled with water all the time. My small plastic bread holder got promoted to wet stone holder. It is large enough that I will be able to add an 8000 grit stone to it, once I find one in a suitably colorful box. The articles also showed how one could take a piece of glass and use sticky glue and sand paper to do something or other. I really glossed over this part because I wanted a wet stone! All the cool monks have them these days.
> 
> I have now spent many hours sharpening on my wet stone. I found some old chisels in the garage. My garage is filled with a treasure trove of old tools. I have no idea what all is in there, but it seems that when I really need something, it makes itself known to me. The chisels are of dubious quality, and are probably not as good as the 2 low end ones I have purchased, but they are chisels, they can be sharpened and that is good practice. I assume that the only way you can become a sharpening monk is to practice, and be able to walk the rice paper.
> 
> 
> 
> The only gripe I had with the sharpening process, which I actually didn't mind at all, was that the stone kept moving. I have a limited skill set. Basically I can take a piece of wood and chisel a mortise into it, or cut a tenon on the end. Fortunately for me, that is enough to do what I wanted. I took one of my 5 ft pieces of walnut, cut off 16 inches worth, sanded it to 400 grit, and drew a line on the board around my wet stone.
> I should mention that the other day, while at Acme Tools, I picked up another nugget of woodworking knowledge. If one sands to 400 grit, it makes applying stain nearly impossible. It was explained to me that at that grit, one is burnishing the wood. The pores become polished to the point that they won't absorb the stain very well. I figured that burnishing the wood on my wet stone holder was a good idea. So I sanded it to within 7/8ths inch of its life.
> 
> 
> 
> With a box drawn, I took chisel in hand and went at it. It was really fun. I feel as if I am improving every day with using the chisel. Today's project was a tremendous exercise. I am getting braver. I am taking larger chunks out. I am controlling the chisel more. I am ending up with a cleaner result.
> The question that I am sure many of you will have, is how many freaking words can 'chisel boy' write about hogging out mortises? The answer might frighten you, so I will just let you find out for yourselves. At least I did something today that could be photographed, not that you didn't enjoy the cat photos, but I am sure that animals again today, would have been met with scorn. So in conclusion I would like to sum thing up by saying…"The End".


You are echoing my own frustrations with the chisel sharpening process and I did read all the articles in which carving masters tortured their apprentices by making them spend 3-5 years on sharpening alone, before allowing them to even use the things. Sounds like you almost reached the point of snatching the pebble from the master's hand. Entertaining read and the whole community at large probably wishes more newbies knew how to write such entertaining adventures 

David


----------



## Ecocandle

*My Plan*



Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.

I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.

Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.

As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.

The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.

There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.



The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.



I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.



People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.

To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.

I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.

The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.

So here is the question of the day: 
What are your favorite books on wood working?
Or
Who is your favorite dead English poet?
(Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


----------



## chuck66

Ecocandle said:


> *My Plan*
> 
> 
> 
> Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.
> 
> I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.
> 
> Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.
> 
> As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.
> 
> The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.
> 
> There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.
> 
> 
> 
> The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
> I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.
> 
> 
> 
> I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.
> 
> 
> 
> People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.
> 
> To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.
> 
> I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.
> 
> The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.
> 
> So here is the question of the day:
> What are your favorite books on wood working?
> Or
> Who is your favorite dead English poet?
> (Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


1) I think there are many more books published than there are worth reading; and
B) Fulke Greville


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *My Plan*
> 
> 
> 
> Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.
> 
> I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.
> 
> Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.
> 
> As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.
> 
> The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.
> 
> There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.
> 
> 
> 
> The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
> I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.
> 
> 
> 
> I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.
> 
> 
> 
> People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.
> 
> To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.
> 
> I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.
> 
> The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.
> 
> So here is the question of the day:
> What are your favorite books on wood working?
> Or
> Who is your favorite dead English poet?
> (Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


the long walk ,
by slavomir rawicz .
tells about how to build ski's by hand .

lord buckley .


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *My Plan*
> 
> 
> 
> Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.
> 
> I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.
> 
> Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.
> 
> As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.
> 
> The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.
> 
> There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.
> 
> 
> 
> The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
> I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.
> 
> 
> 
> I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.
> 
> 
> 
> People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.
> 
> To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.
> 
> I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.
> 
> The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.
> 
> So here is the question of the day:
> What are your favorite books on wood working?
> Or
> Who is your favorite dead English poet?
> (Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


Chuck you get bonus points for labeling 1) & B) (Well done.)

I will have to find The Long Walk. I would love to learn how to build a ski or even two.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *My Plan*
> 
> 
> 
> Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.
> 
> I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.
> 
> Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.
> 
> As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.
> 
> The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.
> 
> There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.
> 
> 
> 
> The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
> I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.
> 
> 
> 
> I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.
> 
> 
> 
> People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.
> 
> To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.
> 
> I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.
> 
> The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.
> 
> So here is the question of the day:
> What are your favorite books on wood working?
> Or
> Who is your favorite dead English poet?
> (Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


google it .
oh ,

1.

b.

sorry .


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *My Plan*
> 
> 
> 
> Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.
> 
> I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.
> 
> Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.
> 
> As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.
> 
> The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.
> 
> There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.
> 
> 
> 
> The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
> I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.
> 
> 
> 
> I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.
> 
> 
> 
> People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.
> 
> To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.
> 
> I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.
> 
> The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.
> 
> So here is the question of the day:
> What are your favorite books on wood working?
> Or
> Who is your favorite dead English poet?
> (Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


1. The Strip Built Kayak by Nick Schade

2. Ummm … Errr … Ahhh


----------



## newTim

Ecocandle said:


> *My Plan*
> 
> 
> 
> Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.
> 
> I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.
> 
> Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.
> 
> As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.
> 
> The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.
> 
> There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.
> 
> 
> 
> The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
> I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.
> 
> 
> 
> I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.
> 
> 
> 
> People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.
> 
> To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.
> 
> I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.
> 
> The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.
> 
> So here is the question of the day:
> What are your favorite books on wood working?
> Or
> Who is your favorite dead English poet?
> (Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


Great Sketchup work. Nice blog.

We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. T.S. Elliot

Born 26 September 1888, St. Louis MO
Died 4 January 1965, London England

A poet who died in England.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *My Plan*
> 
> 
> 
> Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.
> 
> I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.
> 
> Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.
> 
> As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.
> 
> The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.
> 
> There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.
> 
> 
> 
> The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
> I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.
> 
> 
> 
> I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.
> 
> 
> 
> People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.
> 
> To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.
> 
> I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.
> 
> The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.
> 
> So here is the question of the day:
> What are your favorite books on wood working?
> Or
> Who is your favorite dead English poet?
> (Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


another intriguing blog
Lots of books to choose from:

I'm with Steve on the poet question


----------



## lumberdustjohn

Ecocandle said:


> *My Plan*
> 
> 
> 
> Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.
> 
> I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.
> 
> Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.
> 
> As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.
> 
> The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.
> 
> There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.
> 
> 
> 
> The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
> I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.
> 
> 
> 
> I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.
> 
> 
> 
> People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.
> 
> To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.
> 
> I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.
> 
> The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.
> 
> So here is the question of the day:
> What are your favorite books on wood working?
> Or
> Who is your favorite dead English poet?
> (Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


Green Eggs and Ham. By Dr…....Somebody?
Once you start the story it is impossible to put it back until you have finished it.
Tried to put it down once and got a loud cry on my lap.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *My Plan*
> 
> 
> 
> Someone once said, "Plan your work and work your plan." Or was it, "Plan your woodworking at work, so you can plan on working on wood after work?" Either way, I have a plan. Over the last several years I have spent a good deal of my time building spaces in the virtual world of Second Life. I have designed hundreds of pieces of virtual furniture and I want to learn how to bring them into the real world.
> 
> I realize that most readers are now scratching their heads with their tape measures, asking, "What is virtual furniture?" "Why would someone in a virtual world need to sit?" "Why am I still reading this blog?" All of those are reasonable questions, and I am pleased to be able to answer the 1st two.
> 
> Second Life is a virtual world where people create avatars, interact, go to lectures, have meetings, conduct business, attend art galleries, and most importantly, explore their creative sides. Strangely enough, when one is attending a meeting, with another person who is sitting at their computer running their avatar, it is important that the host provide seating. The virtual world is so immersive that one feels uncomfortable standing, though they are sitting in real life. Also it makes a space feel more comfortable when it has tables, chairs, grandfather clocks, and art on the walls.
> 
> As for why you are still reading this blog, that is likely just a case of poor judgment on your part, and I am not to be blamed.
> 
> The point is this. I have spent literally thousands of hours learning how to create and design attractive furniture. I am proud of my designs and if I am to be proud of the designs, when they are built for the real world, I will need to become skilled at every aspect of woodworking.
> 
> There is a second point and that is that though I don't know much about woodworking, I do have a pretty good working knowledge of the 3d design tool Google Sketch up. Because I am new, I am able to offer almost nothing to the wonderful community that is following my daily ramblings. The only area where I might be able to offer guidance is in using Sketch up to design your work. Have you tried it? If you are afraid, don't be, the technology has been brilliantly designed. There are a plethora of videos that can be found to teach you the basics. In a recent article which I perused (Note: I use perused as it was actually intended to be used, meaning to read thoroughly and for content.), the author was describing the hours spent designing the beautiful piece of furniture he had built. I believe he had spent 300 hours on design alone.
> 
> 
> 
> The beauty of Google Sketch up is that you are able to see how a piece might look. Easily change the thickness of a part and do endless small tweaks, until it matches the vision in your mind's eye. One can also label parts and do any number of things that make it a perfect tool for design work.
> I include in today's blog piece several 'photos' which were created entirely in Sketch Up. I should note that each of these was then rendered into a photo quality image using a bit of software which I purchased. I did this so that I might sell the photos along with my other real photos. It isn't at all necessary for designing a project to buy any additional software.
> 
> 
> 
> I lack a good transition, so please stop thinking about Google Sketch up, clear your mind, and accept that I am now changing directions. I should be in politics. I have said in previous posts that I believe in buying the top of the line in tools. This usually comes before a sentence where I describe the low end tool I have just bought. The work horse for woodworkers is the table saw. This is obviously a slight to the 'Saw Horse', which is tragic. Knowing this, I am resisting the temptation to buy what I can afford. I am saving up until I can spend $3,000 on the SawStop. Not having a table saw has been both limiting and liberating. I have added a Bosch circular saw with a Freud blade to my tool collection. Figuring out ways to clamp large pieces of wood, and creating guides with other larger pieces of wood, has improved my creative clamping abilities. So I don't completely mind being patient. Don't tell my mother. She has told me that 'patience is a virtue', to which I have responded with mockery. If she knew that I was performing this virtue, it might result in some counter mockery. Nobody wants that.
> 
> 
> 
> People that I trust have told me that the 2nd most important item in a workshop is the router table. I have oscillated back and forth between buying the Kreg table and building my own. As of this moment I am leaning towards building one. It seems like the exercise of building a router table will further advance my education, of course the Kreg table is really pretty, and so it is still a tossup.
> 
> To become good enough at woodworking, to build my designs, I will need to do a lot of woodworking. It seems like a catch-22, but I think Joseph Heller would agree that it is not. The decision has been made to focus all my efforts on building work tables, jigs, and accessories for woodworking. Making mistakes on projects that are going to get beat up over time will cause far less mental anguish than botching a design that I love.
> 
> I am currently working on a pair of saw horses. They are a design that the late Krenov created. I have cut mortise and tenons. I will need to cut some through mortises. I may even finish the horses, just for the practice.
> 
> The last part of my plan is to read everything I can find. My library has 3 books thus far and I am enjoying them. "Selecting and Drying Wood", "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner, and Popular Woodworking's, "The Drawer Book", are all books that I would recommend to friends. I am open to suggestions.
> 
> So here is the question of the day:
> What are your favorite books on wood working?
> Or
> Who is your favorite dead English poet?
> (Disclaimer, the question of the day may or may not appear on a daily basis. The author reserves the right to substitute a haiku or limerick. He may or may not choose to abandon the question of the day without notice.)


Chairmaking & Design by Jeff Miller is a great resource for chair design and building. If you want to take a tour in the really unusual, as far as woodworking goes, you could also try Whacky Toys, Whirligigs, and Whatchamacallits by Rodney Frost.

Charlies Bukowski, though I prefer his older stuff.


----------



## Ecocandle

*To and Fro*



It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.



My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.



When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.



The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."



I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened? No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


----------



## gizmodyne

Ecocandle said:


> *To and Fro*
> 
> 
> 
> It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.
> 
> 
> 
> My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.
> 
> 
> 
> When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.
> 
> 
> 
> The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."
> 
> 
> 
> I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened? No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


Take it down to 220 grit for the nasty grinding stage. Save yourself some time.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To and Fro*
> 
> 
> 
> It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.
> 
> 
> 
> My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.
> 
> 
> 
> When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.
> 
> 
> 
> The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."
> 
> 
> 
> I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened? No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


That seems like great advice. I have read about using a piece of glass and sandpaper, but it is -14 below zero here today, so I decided not to go out. I will try your suggestion in the not so distant future. Thanks.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *To and Fro*
> 
> 
> 
> It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.
> 
> 
> 
> My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.
> 
> 
> 
> When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.
> 
> 
> 
> The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."
> 
> 
> 
> I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened? No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


Hmmm - can you sharpen on ice?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To and Fro*
> 
> 
> 
> It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.
> 
> 
> 
> My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.
> 
> 
> 
> When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.
> 
> 
> 
> The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."
> 
> 
> 
> I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened?  No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


I grew up playing hockey. I imagine that if push came to shove, I probably could. It might not be too fun, but I imagine it would give me fodder for a blog post. Ok, now where is that thermostat…


----------



## THEGREATPUMPKIN

Ecocandle said:


> *To and Fro*
> 
> 
> 
> It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.
> 
> 
> 
> My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.
> 
> 
> 
> When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.
> 
> 
> 
> The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."
> 
> 
> 
> I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened? No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


Gotta hate those angry fingers. JIM


----------



## GMman

Ecocandle said:


> *To and Fro*
> 
> 
> 
> It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.
> 
> 
> 
> My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.
> 
> 
> 
> When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.
> 
> 
> 
> The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."
> 
> 
> 
> I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened? No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


Sand paper 300 grits glued on a flat surface works fine


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *To and Fro*
> 
> 
> 
> It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.
> 
> 
> 
> My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.
> 
> 
> 
> When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.
> 
> 
> 
> The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."
> 
> 
> 
> I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened? No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


I feel for you Brian. That is good progress. Lots of work for something very few people would understand. Not only do your fingers hurt, but just try explaining this to an outsider. (You are an insider now, I believe.)

I guess this is why nobody becomes a monk anymore,
Steve


----------



## beckerswoodworks

Ecocandle said:


> *To and Fro*
> 
> 
> 
> It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.
> 
> 
> 
> My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.
> 
> 
> 
> When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.
> 
> 
> 
> The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."
> 
> 
> 
> I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened? No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


Great progress Brian! You might want to put some kind of finish on your stone holder. If you keep getting it wet like that everyday it's going to start to rot and grow mold.


----------



## MarkwithaK

Ecocandle said:


> *To and Fro*
> 
> 
> 
> It is all back and forth, to and fro, over and over again, until my fingers are sore and angry. Actually my fingers are not only angry, they are bitter and told me in no uncertain terms, "Listen bub, we know you are excited about your new little sharpening station, but either we get a break, or we will wrap ourselves around your neck." I am not brave, so I relented and decided to take a break from sharpening. I checked and my fingers agreed that they would be more than willing to either "Do some walking through the yellow pages, especially if it is the Chinese food section, or be allowed to type up today's blog." It was made clear that the latter option would only be accepted if I let them state their case.
> 
> 
> 
> My belief that learning to use hand tool and to take care of them, will serve me well throughout my woodworking life, is not one shared by my fingers. It seems that practicing this skill daily has been met with suspicion by the digits. They don't understand why I would work so hard to sharpen a small cheap chisel that I may never need. I tried to explain that the skill requires that I do it over and over. The case was made that it is better to get good on old chisels than to do a crappy job on new expensive chisels. This argument fell on deaf knuckles.
> 
> 
> 
> When I sensed that my fingers were tired of listening and I suspected they were about to turn on me, I gave up. I stand by my position though. Tonight I have spent close to 2 hours on one chisel. The first 70 minutes, minus the time it took to microwave some Tai Pei noodles and wolf them down, were spent on the 1000 grit. I set up my sharpening guide and started. Unlike my two chisels which I bought, the sharpening process started a new angle on the tip of the chisel. The aged worn chisel had likely never been sharpened and the angle was in need of fixing. Having flattened the back side, I figured I was close to done. I was grossly mistaken. The first time I flipped it over I saw that the heal was getting the new edge. It was obvious that I would have to keep sharpening until I had the entire front of the chisel ground down to the correct angle.
> 
> 
> 
> The monks, who devote their lives to the sharpening of chisels, would have likely ground the edge down. I have 3 grinders in the garage. They are old, I have never used them, and they look like a heart attack causing shock, just waiting to happen. So I give them a wide berth. Again, the point of sharpening this sad old chisel at all is for the practice. So I should stop complaining. The old adage applies, "be careful what you wish for."
> 
> 
> 
> I may have sore angry fingers, but I am starting to get comfortable with the rhythm of the chisel and the wet stone. Is it perfectly sharpened? No, but tomorrow I will work on it some more. And then the day after too, and then perhaps a bit on Sunday, and one day, I will be able to put an edge on a chisel that I can be proud of.


I have a bit of the carpel tunnel so my fingers are angry quite a bit….so a few months ago when Sears inadvertently advertised the WorkSharp for $19.99 I couldn't type in the credit card number fast enough.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Helsinki Games of 56'*



The long cold winter swept over Jones County. It had been days since I had ventured past the threshold and I was nearly out of pot stickers. The Meeks residence was at Defcon 2. I was getting stir crazy. Action needed to be taken, so I bundled up, put on a sweatshirt and a coat, followed naturally by one additional coat, and topped off with a pair of gloves and a smart chapeau. The world outside waited and I was certain that there may would be an impulse tool purchase in my very near future.

It just so happens that the Acme tools, which I was sure, would have a tool I might fancy, was on the way to the Wal-Mart. And by on the way I mean that I only needed to drive past Wal-mart by 5 or 6 miles, turn right, and head an additional 4 miles. Sure enough there was a tool I just couldn't live without. A mini dozuki cross cut saw was waiting for me. It had plenty of Japanese characters on the box, and as you know by now, I am powerless against such brilliant packaging. In fact, it didn't have any English on it at all. I assume they do this to keep their exceptional saws a secret, and thus, assure themselves an advantage in the quadrennial hand saw Olympics, which is held in Helsinki this year. Helsinki is most well known for the brilliant Gold medal marathon joint match of 1956, where John Henry Smyth of England was narrowly defeated, by Arashi 'The Storm' Yamamoto, when Smyth suffered hand cramps in the final set and mistakenly cut the lesser known pigeon tail joint, giving the point to Yamamoto. Smyth never recovered and spent the remaining years of his life joining drawer sides with biscuits and gravy. Needless to say his choice to substitute turkey based gravy for wood glue, was at best, a poor one, and few post Helsinki pieces survive today.



Thinking of poor John Henry as I drove home, with pot stickers and new saw safely beside me on the passenger seat, I vowed never to suffer his shame. It has been written that using Japanese hand saws takes a bit of practice, as most woodworkers are use to the Western saws, which cut on the push. I have not used a Western hand saw in the last 25 years or so, and as such, figured that this rule didn't apply to me. I would take my new saw out of its packaging; touch it to wood and with the grace and power of 'The Storm', cut perfectly flat and straight. My assumption was that with one, or possibly two tries, I should be sufficiently trained, to make the saw do my bidding.

Strangely, this was not the case. I clamped a bit of hard maple into the vice, and went at it. The first cut was hideous. Neither straight nor flat, I held the tiny piece of wood in my hand and studied it. I had started out straight and then veered towards my body. Easy enough to fix, I would just cut more slowly and pay attention. I took the added step of drawing a line on my practice wood this time. Surely my second try would be perfect. I followed the line, taking my time, and making sure to take nice easy pulls on my new saw. When I was nearly done, and the piece about to fall off, I had a sense of triumph, knowing that this time I had done it. The triumph was short lived. While I did stay on the line, which was an improvement, I did not cut straight through the wood. I estimate that the 90 degree angle was closer to 86 degrees. I tried again. Again I veered away from my body. The fourth attempt was very close to 90 degrees. One more attempt and I would be an Olympic caliber hand saw user. Sadly the 5th attempt could be described as an embarrassment to me, my family, and even my ancestors. Could I hear John Henry snickering?


After an hour or so, I did feel I was making marked improvement. This skill will, like all the others, take a bit of practice. I do like my new saw though. I like it a bunch. The cuts are smooth, the kerf is thin, and on the rare occasion when I do cut true, the results are quite satisfying. I would recommend the saw to anyone who asks. Of course, since I can't read the packaging, I have no idea who made my little saw. I would say it is a cut above my other Japanese hand saw from the Home Depot. Pun Intended. Now for some pot stickers…yummy.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Helsinki Games of 56'*
> 
> 
> 
> The long cold winter swept over Jones County. It had been days since I had ventured past the threshold and I was nearly out of pot stickers. The Meeks residence was at Defcon 2. I was getting stir crazy. Action needed to be taken, so I bundled up, put on a sweatshirt and a coat, followed naturally by one additional coat, and topped off with a pair of gloves and a smart chapeau. The world outside waited and I was certain that there may would be an impulse tool purchase in my very near future.
> 
> It just so happens that the Acme tools, which I was sure, would have a tool I might fancy, was on the way to the Wal-Mart. And by on the way I mean that I only needed to drive past Wal-mart by 5 or 6 miles, turn right, and head an additional 4 miles. Sure enough there was a tool I just couldn't live without. A mini dozuki cross cut saw was waiting for me. It had plenty of Japanese characters on the box, and as you know by now, I am powerless against such brilliant packaging. In fact, it didn't have any English on it at all. I assume they do this to keep their exceptional saws a secret, and thus, assure themselves an advantage in the quadrennial hand saw Olympics, which is held in Helsinki this year. Helsinki is most well known for the brilliant Gold medal marathon joint match of 1956, where John Henry Smyth of England was narrowly defeated, by Arashi 'The Storm' Yamamoto, when Smyth suffered hand cramps in the final set and mistakenly cut the lesser known pigeon tail joint, giving the point to Yamamoto. Smyth never recovered and spent the remaining years of his life joining drawer sides with biscuits and gravy. Needless to say his choice to substitute turkey based gravy for wood glue, was at best, a poor one, and few post Helsinki pieces survive today.
> 
> 
> 
> Thinking of poor John Henry as I drove home, with pot stickers and new saw safely beside me on the passenger seat, I vowed never to suffer his shame. It has been written that using Japanese hand saws takes a bit of practice, as most woodworkers are use to the Western saws, which cut on the push. I have not used a Western hand saw in the last 25 years or so, and as such, figured that this rule didn't apply to me. I would take my new saw out of its packaging; touch it to wood and with the grace and power of 'The Storm', cut perfectly flat and straight. My assumption was that with one, or possibly two tries, I should be sufficiently trained, to make the saw do my bidding.
> 
> Strangely, this was not the case. I clamped a bit of hard maple into the vice, and went at it. The first cut was hideous. Neither straight nor flat, I held the tiny piece of wood in my hand and studied it. I had started out straight and then veered towards my body. Easy enough to fix, I would just cut more slowly and pay attention. I took the added step of drawing a line on my practice wood this time. Surely my second try would be perfect. I followed the line, taking my time, and making sure to take nice easy pulls on my new saw. When I was nearly done, and the piece about to fall off, I had a sense of triumph, knowing that this time I had done it. The triumph was short lived. While I did stay on the line, which was an improvement, I did not cut straight through the wood. I estimate that the 90 degree angle was closer to 86 degrees. I tried again. Again I veered away from my body. The fourth attempt was very close to 90 degrees. One more attempt and I would be an Olympic caliber hand saw user. Sadly the 5th attempt could be described as an embarrassment to me, my family, and even my ancestors. Could I hear John Henry snickering?
> 
> 
> After an hour or so, I did feel I was making marked improvement. This skill will, like all the others, take a bit of practice. I do like my new saw though. I like it a bunch. The cuts are smooth, the kerf is thin, and on the rare occasion when I do cut true, the results are quite satisfying. I would recommend the saw to anyone who asks. Of course, since I can't read the packaging, I have no idea who made my little saw. I would say it is a cut above my other Japanese hand saw from the Home Depot. Pun Intended. Now for some pot stickers…yummy.


practice , practice , practice !

makes mistakes ,
builds frustration , 
earns rewards !

we are never done with practice ,
it lurks around the shop ,
waiting for us to do something new !


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Helsinki Games of 56'*
> 
> 
> 
> The long cold winter swept over Jones County. It had been days since I had ventured past the threshold and I was nearly out of pot stickers. The Meeks residence was at Defcon 2. I was getting stir crazy. Action needed to be taken, so I bundled up, put on a sweatshirt and a coat, followed naturally by one additional coat, and topped off with a pair of gloves and a smart chapeau. The world outside waited and I was certain that there may would be an impulse tool purchase in my very near future.
> 
> It just so happens that the Acme tools, which I was sure, would have a tool I might fancy, was on the way to the Wal-Mart. And by on the way I mean that I only needed to drive past Wal-mart by 5 or 6 miles, turn right, and head an additional 4 miles. Sure enough there was a tool I just couldn't live without. A mini dozuki cross cut saw was waiting for me. It had plenty of Japanese characters on the box, and as you know by now, I am powerless against such brilliant packaging. In fact, it didn't have any English on it at all. I assume they do this to keep their exceptional saws a secret, and thus, assure themselves an advantage in the quadrennial hand saw Olympics, which is held in Helsinki this year. Helsinki is most well known for the brilliant Gold medal marathon joint match of 1956, where John Henry Smyth of England was narrowly defeated, by Arashi 'The Storm' Yamamoto, when Smyth suffered hand cramps in the final set and mistakenly cut the lesser known pigeon tail joint, giving the point to Yamamoto. Smyth never recovered and spent the remaining years of his life joining drawer sides with biscuits and gravy. Needless to say his choice to substitute turkey based gravy for wood glue, was at best, a poor one, and few post Helsinki pieces survive today.
> 
> 
> 
> Thinking of poor John Henry as I drove home, with pot stickers and new saw safely beside me on the passenger seat, I vowed never to suffer his shame. It has been written that using Japanese hand saws takes a bit of practice, as most woodworkers are use to the Western saws, which cut on the push. I have not used a Western hand saw in the last 25 years or so, and as such, figured that this rule didn't apply to me. I would take my new saw out of its packaging; touch it to wood and with the grace and power of 'The Storm', cut perfectly flat and straight. My assumption was that with one, or possibly two tries, I should be sufficiently trained, to make the saw do my bidding.
> 
> Strangely, this was not the case. I clamped a bit of hard maple into the vice, and went at it. The first cut was hideous. Neither straight nor flat, I held the tiny piece of wood in my hand and studied it. I had started out straight and then veered towards my body. Easy enough to fix, I would just cut more slowly and pay attention. I took the added step of drawing a line on my practice wood this time. Surely my second try would be perfect. I followed the line, taking my time, and making sure to take nice easy pulls on my new saw. When I was nearly done, and the piece about to fall off, I had a sense of triumph, knowing that this time I had done it. The triumph was short lived. While I did stay on the line, which was an improvement, I did not cut straight through the wood. I estimate that the 90 degree angle was closer to 86 degrees. I tried again. Again I veered away from my body. The fourth attempt was very close to 90 degrees. One more attempt and I would be an Olympic caliber hand saw user. Sadly the 5th attempt could be described as an embarrassment to me, my family, and even my ancestors. Could I hear John Henry snickering?
> 
> 
> After an hour or so, I did feel I was making marked improvement. This skill will, like all the others, take a bit of practice. I do like my new saw though. I like it a bunch. The cuts are smooth, the kerf is thin, and on the rare occasion when I do cut true, the results are quite satisfying. I would recommend the saw to anyone who asks. Of course, since I can't read the packaging, I have no idea who made my little saw. I would say it is a cut above my other Japanese hand saw from the Home Depot. Pun Intended. Now for some pot stickers…yummy.


FWIW, I notice that you have the wood chucked at what is probably waist height (bench top). At that height, I've always found it easier to get a good crosscut starting from the near side. Crosscutting from the far side works well for me when the piece is anchored well below waist level (as on a low Japanese cutting bench).


----------



## douginaz

Ecocandle said:


> *Helsinki Games of 56'*
> 
> 
> 
> The long cold winter swept over Jones County. It had been days since I had ventured past the threshold and I was nearly out of pot stickers. The Meeks residence was at Defcon 2. I was getting stir crazy. Action needed to be taken, so I bundled up, put on a sweatshirt and a coat, followed naturally by one additional coat, and topped off with a pair of gloves and a smart chapeau. The world outside waited and I was certain that there may would be an impulse tool purchase in my very near future.
> 
> It just so happens that the Acme tools, which I was sure, would have a tool I might fancy, was on the way to the Wal-Mart. And by on the way I mean that I only needed to drive past Wal-mart by 5 or 6 miles, turn right, and head an additional 4 miles. Sure enough there was a tool I just couldn't live without. A mini dozuki cross cut saw was waiting for me. It had plenty of Japanese characters on the box, and as you know by now, I am powerless against such brilliant packaging. In fact, it didn't have any English on it at all. I assume they do this to keep their exceptional saws a secret, and thus, assure themselves an advantage in the quadrennial hand saw Olympics, which is held in Helsinki this year. Helsinki is most well known for the brilliant Gold medal marathon joint match of 1956, where John Henry Smyth of England was narrowly defeated, by Arashi 'The Storm' Yamamoto, when Smyth suffered hand cramps in the final set and mistakenly cut the lesser known pigeon tail joint, giving the point to Yamamoto. Smyth never recovered and spent the remaining years of his life joining drawer sides with biscuits and gravy. Needless to say his choice to substitute turkey based gravy for wood glue, was at best, a poor one, and few post Helsinki pieces survive today.
> 
> 
> 
> Thinking of poor John Henry as I drove home, with pot stickers and new saw safely beside me on the passenger seat, I vowed never to suffer his shame. It has been written that using Japanese hand saws takes a bit of practice, as most woodworkers are use to the Western saws, which cut on the push. I have not used a Western hand saw in the last 25 years or so, and as such, figured that this rule didn't apply to me. I would take my new saw out of its packaging; touch it to wood and with the grace and power of 'The Storm', cut perfectly flat and straight. My assumption was that with one, or possibly two tries, I should be sufficiently trained, to make the saw do my bidding.
> 
> Strangely, this was not the case. I clamped a bit of hard maple into the vice, and went at it. The first cut was hideous. Neither straight nor flat, I held the tiny piece of wood in my hand and studied it. I had started out straight and then veered towards my body. Easy enough to fix, I would just cut more slowly and pay attention. I took the added step of drawing a line on my practice wood this time. Surely my second try would be perfect. I followed the line, taking my time, and making sure to take nice easy pulls on my new saw. When I was nearly done, and the piece about to fall off, I had a sense of triumph, knowing that this time I had done it. The triumph was short lived. While I did stay on the line, which was an improvement, I did not cut straight through the wood. I estimate that the 90 degree angle was closer to 86 degrees. I tried again. Again I veered away from my body. The fourth attempt was very close to 90 degrees. One more attempt and I would be an Olympic caliber hand saw user. Sadly the 5th attempt could be described as an embarrassment to me, my family, and even my ancestors. Could I hear John Henry snickering?
> 
> 
> After an hour or so, I did feel I was making marked improvement. This skill will, like all the others, take a bit of practice. I do like my new saw though. I like it a bunch. The cuts are smooth, the kerf is thin, and on the rare occasion when I do cut true, the results are quite satisfying. I would recommend the saw to anyone who asks. Of course, since I can't read the packaging, I have no idea who made my little saw. I would say it is a cut above my other Japanese hand saw from the Home Depot. Pun Intended. Now for some pot stickers…yummy.


Ahh Brian, you made my day. I too suffer from the "wobblies" when it comes to hand saws, hand saws of all types, I just don't think I have it in me to cut straight down and follow a line. I can get close but the square does not lie. I truly enjoy your blogs, you are a great break from mental cabin fever 
Later, 
Doug in AZ.


----------



## Karson

Ecocandle said:


> *Helsinki Games of 56'*
> 
> 
> 
> The long cold winter swept over Jones County. It had been days since I had ventured past the threshold and I was nearly out of pot stickers. The Meeks residence was at Defcon 2. I was getting stir crazy. Action needed to be taken, so I bundled up, put on a sweatshirt and a coat, followed naturally by one additional coat, and topped off with a pair of gloves and a smart chapeau. The world outside waited and I was certain that there may would be an impulse tool purchase in my very near future.
> 
> It just so happens that the Acme tools, which I was sure, would have a tool I might fancy, was on the way to the Wal-Mart. And by on the way I mean that I only needed to drive past Wal-mart by 5 or 6 miles, turn right, and head an additional 4 miles. Sure enough there was a tool I just couldn't live without. A mini dozuki cross cut saw was waiting for me. It had plenty of Japanese characters on the box, and as you know by now, I am powerless against such brilliant packaging. In fact, it didn't have any English on it at all. I assume they do this to keep their exceptional saws a secret, and thus, assure themselves an advantage in the quadrennial hand saw Olympics, which is held in Helsinki this year. Helsinki is most well known for the brilliant Gold medal marathon joint match of 1956, where John Henry Smyth of England was narrowly defeated, by Arashi 'The Storm' Yamamoto, when Smyth suffered hand cramps in the final set and mistakenly cut the lesser known pigeon tail joint, giving the point to Yamamoto. Smyth never recovered and spent the remaining years of his life joining drawer sides with biscuits and gravy. Needless to say his choice to substitute turkey based gravy for wood glue, was at best, a poor one, and few post Helsinki pieces survive today.
> 
> 
> 
> Thinking of poor John Henry as I drove home, with pot stickers and new saw safely beside me on the passenger seat, I vowed never to suffer his shame. It has been written that using Japanese hand saws takes a bit of practice, as most woodworkers are use to the Western saws, which cut on the push. I have not used a Western hand saw in the last 25 years or so, and as such, figured that this rule didn't apply to me. I would take my new saw out of its packaging; touch it to wood and with the grace and power of 'The Storm', cut perfectly flat and straight. My assumption was that with one, or possibly two tries, I should be sufficiently trained, to make the saw do my bidding.
> 
> Strangely, this was not the case. I clamped a bit of hard maple into the vice, and went at it. The first cut was hideous. Neither straight nor flat, I held the tiny piece of wood in my hand and studied it. I had started out straight and then veered towards my body. Easy enough to fix, I would just cut more slowly and pay attention. I took the added step of drawing a line on my practice wood this time. Surely my second try would be perfect. I followed the line, taking my time, and making sure to take nice easy pulls on my new saw. When I was nearly done, and the piece about to fall off, I had a sense of triumph, knowing that this time I had done it. The triumph was short lived. While I did stay on the line, which was an improvement, I did not cut straight through the wood. I estimate that the 90 degree angle was closer to 86 degrees. I tried again. Again I veered away from my body. The fourth attempt was very close to 90 degrees. One more attempt and I would be an Olympic caliber hand saw user. Sadly the 5th attempt could be described as an embarrassment to me, my family, and even my ancestors. Could I hear John Henry snickering?
> 
> 
> After an hour or so, I did feel I was making marked improvement. This skill will, like all the others, take a bit of practice. I do like my new saw though. I like it a bunch. The cuts are smooth, the kerf is thin, and on the rare occasion when I do cut true, the results are quite satisfying. I would recommend the saw to anyone who asks. Of course, since I can't read the packaging, I have no idea who made my little saw. I would say it is a cut above my other Japanese hand saw from the Home Depot. Pun Intended. Now for some pot stickers…yummy.


Truly a master would know that you didn't squat like a samurai warrier before beginning. The purpose would be to drain your mind of all hunger pangs for the pot stickers and caused you to cat a path to the nearest microwave.


----------



## Ecocandle

*My First Project*



"When you have completed 95% of your journey, you are only halfway there."
-Japanese Proverb

I need to remember this proverb whenever I approach the end of a project. I find that there are two finish lines when it comes to my tasks. The first finish line is where I start to feel good about what I have accomplished and the second one is where the project is actually completed. This is certainly the case for my workbench. It was, actually still is, my first project. The day that I successfully attached the vice to it, I passed the first finish line. I started to use my workbench and paid no attention to the shelf that wasn't complete.

Today I awoke determined to add that shelf. I dreaded this part of the project for one reason. I would need to flip the bench over to attach the shelf. This one little dread had kept me from this task for a couple of months. So I started the day, with a little chisel sharpening, as a warm up. Best to get some good woodworking mojo going I figured. 30 minutes of warm up and I was ready. I headed downstairs and cleaned off the top of the workbench and then measured.

There is an old adage that you should measure twice and cut once. I always do this. Today I succeeded in misreading the tape measure exactly the same way twice. Every once in a while I look at my tape measure and just get it wrong. Today my tape measure was clearly telling me that it wanted me to write down 45 and 5/8ths inches. I had the 5/8ths correct, but for some reason I looked to the right of the hash for the inch number and went with 46. The terrible thing is that when I checked my measurement I did the exact same thing. So I was off by an inch for the length. In the end, it didn't matter, but I hate making such a silly mistake.



In the interest of practicing my Japanese handsaw skills, I cut the width down by hand. It took me fourteen and a half minutes. I was cutting through ¾ inch MDF. Being curious, I decided to time how long it would take me to set up and cut the length with my Bosch circular saw. I have very little experience with my circular saw, so I need the practice here as well. I bought it about a month ago and have only made a handful of cuts. I have a replaced the Bosch blade with a Freud. The cut took me a total of 6 minutes and 30 seconds to clamp the board, mark the cut, clamp down a guide, and actually do the cutting. I am sure that most competent woodworkers would do this in a minute or two, but I am still a little bit frightened by my circular saw.

The board was now the correct dimensions. I needed to only cut out the notches for the legs and then I would be ready to flip that heavy beast over and attach it. Cutting the notches turned out to be a perfect task for my Japanese hand saw. The only problem with my new saw is that it has a piece along the top to stabilize the blade. This limits its capabilities somewhat. I turned to my other, much lower quality, saw and it worked marvelously. I received a tip from a reader of a previous post. He suggested I cut from below the wood and pull the saw towards the ground. This worked marvelously and I was able to cut quickly and accurately. Learning this trick has made me a better woodworker. Thanks.



Turning the bench over was much less of a pain than I imagined. I attached my shelf and flipped it back over. After centering it in the room I stepped back and was giddy. There was only one thing left to do. I would clean up the cases of my Bosch router and DeWalt drill and then put them on the shelf. I just couldn't put them on the shelf in their current state. Now I actually keep things pretty tidy, but both cases needed a good scrubbing. One thing led to another and I was in the garage cleaning each of my tools. I made great progress and took enormous joy arranging them on the workbench shelf. I cleaned for a long while, and I would estimate that I got it 95% of the way done. I will do the other half tomorrow.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Project*
> 
> 
> 
> "When you have completed 95% of your journey, you are only halfway there."
> -Japanese Proverb
> 
> I need to remember this proverb whenever I approach the end of a project. I find that there are two finish lines when it comes to my tasks. The first finish line is where I start to feel good about what I have accomplished and the second one is where the project is actually completed. This is certainly the case for my workbench. It was, actually still is, my first project. The day that I successfully attached the vice to it, I passed the first finish line. I started to use my workbench and paid no attention to the shelf that wasn't complete.
> 
> Today I awoke determined to add that shelf. I dreaded this part of the project for one reason. I would need to flip the bench over to attach the shelf. This one little dread had kept me from this task for a couple of months. So I started the day, with a little chisel sharpening, as a warm up. Best to get some good woodworking mojo going I figured. 30 minutes of warm up and I was ready. I headed downstairs and cleaned off the top of the workbench and then measured.
> 
> There is an old adage that you should measure twice and cut once. I always do this. Today I succeeded in misreading the tape measure exactly the same way twice. Every once in a while I look at my tape measure and just get it wrong. Today my tape measure was clearly telling me that it wanted me to write down 45 and 5/8ths inches. I had the 5/8ths correct, but for some reason I looked to the right of the hash for the inch number and went with 46. The terrible thing is that when I checked my measurement I did the exact same thing. So I was off by an inch for the length. In the end, it didn't matter, but I hate making such a silly mistake.
> 
> 
> 
> In the interest of practicing my Japanese handsaw skills, I cut the width down by hand. It took me fourteen and a half minutes. I was cutting through ¾ inch MDF. Being curious, I decided to time how long it would take me to set up and cut the length with my Bosch circular saw. I have very little experience with my circular saw, so I need the practice here as well. I bought it about a month ago and have only made a handful of cuts. I have a replaced the Bosch blade with a Freud. The cut took me a total of 6 minutes and 30 seconds to clamp the board, mark the cut, clamp down a guide, and actually do the cutting. I am sure that most competent woodworkers would do this in a minute or two, but I am still a little bit frightened by my circular saw.
> 
> The board was now the correct dimensions. I needed to only cut out the notches for the legs and then I would be ready to flip that heavy beast over and attach it. Cutting the notches turned out to be a perfect task for my Japanese hand saw. The only problem with my new saw is that it has a piece along the top to stabilize the blade. This limits its capabilities somewhat. I turned to my other, much lower quality, saw and it worked marvelously. I received a tip from a reader of a previous post. He suggested I cut from below the wood and pull the saw towards the ground. This worked marvelously and I was able to cut quickly and accurately. Learning this trick has made me a better woodworker. Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> Turning the bench over was much less of a pain than I imagined. I attached my shelf and flipped it back over. After centering it in the room I stepped back and was giddy. There was only one thing left to do. I would clean up the cases of my Bosch router and DeWalt drill and then put them on the shelf. I just couldn't put them on the shelf in their current state. Now I actually keep things pretty tidy, but both cases needed a good scrubbing. One thing led to another and I was in the garage cleaning each of my tools. I made great progress and took enormous joy arranging them on the workbench shelf. I cleaned for a long while, and I would estimate that I got it 95% of the way done. I will do the other half tomorrow.




Nice bench.

I need to rebuild mine, or probably just build another one. I originally built a new-fangled workbench because it was relatively cheap and I am a sucker for anything with the adjective "new" in it. It has performed adequately, but has some flaws given the way I work.

Now, if I could just get my hands on some really decent beech ….


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Project*
> 
> 
> 
> "When you have completed 95% of your journey, you are only halfway there."
> -Japanese Proverb
> 
> I need to remember this proverb whenever I approach the end of a project. I find that there are two finish lines when it comes to my tasks. The first finish line is where I start to feel good about what I have accomplished and the second one is where the project is actually completed. This is certainly the case for my workbench. It was, actually still is, my first project. The day that I successfully attached the vice to it, I passed the first finish line. I started to use my workbench and paid no attention to the shelf that wasn't complete.
> 
> Today I awoke determined to add that shelf. I dreaded this part of the project for one reason. I would need to flip the bench over to attach the shelf. This one little dread had kept me from this task for a couple of months. So I started the day, with a little chisel sharpening, as a warm up. Best to get some good woodworking mojo going I figured. 30 minutes of warm up and I was ready. I headed downstairs and cleaned off the top of the workbench and then measured.
> 
> There is an old adage that you should measure twice and cut once. I always do this. Today I succeeded in misreading the tape measure exactly the same way twice. Every once in a while I look at my tape measure and just get it wrong. Today my tape measure was clearly telling me that it wanted me to write down 45 and 5/8ths inches. I had the 5/8ths correct, but for some reason I looked to the right of the hash for the inch number and went with 46. The terrible thing is that when I checked my measurement I did the exact same thing. So I was off by an inch for the length. In the end, it didn't matter, but I hate making such a silly mistake.
> 
> 
> 
> In the interest of practicing my Japanese handsaw skills, I cut the width down by hand. It took me fourteen and a half minutes. I was cutting through ¾ inch MDF. Being curious, I decided to time how long it would take me to set up and cut the length with my Bosch circular saw. I have very little experience with my circular saw, so I need the practice here as well. I bought it about a month ago and have only made a handful of cuts. I have a replaced the Bosch blade with a Freud. The cut took me a total of 6 minutes and 30 seconds to clamp the board, mark the cut, clamp down a guide, and actually do the cutting. I am sure that most competent woodworkers would do this in a minute or two, but I am still a little bit frightened by my circular saw.
> 
> The board was now the correct dimensions. I needed to only cut out the notches for the legs and then I would be ready to flip that heavy beast over and attach it. Cutting the notches turned out to be a perfect task for my Japanese hand saw. The only problem with my new saw is that it has a piece along the top to stabilize the blade. This limits its capabilities somewhat. I turned to my other, much lower quality, saw and it worked marvelously. I received a tip from a reader of a previous post. He suggested I cut from below the wood and pull the saw towards the ground. This worked marvelously and I was able to cut quickly and accurately. Learning this trick has made me a better woodworker. Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> Turning the bench over was much less of a pain than I imagined. I attached my shelf and flipped it back over. After centering it in the room I stepped back and was giddy. There was only one thing left to do. I would clean up the cases of my Bosch router and DeWalt drill and then put them on the shelf. I just couldn't put them on the shelf in their current state. Now I actually keep things pretty tidy, but both cases needed a good scrubbing. One thing led to another and I was in the garage cleaning each of my tools. I made great progress and took enormous joy arranging them on the workbench shelf. I cleaned for a long while, and I would estimate that I got it 95% of the way done. I will do the other half tomorrow.


well done


----------



## douginaz

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Project*
> 
> 
> 
> "When you have completed 95% of your journey, you are only halfway there."
> -Japanese Proverb
> 
> I need to remember this proverb whenever I approach the end of a project. I find that there are two finish lines when it comes to my tasks. The first finish line is where I start to feel good about what I have accomplished and the second one is where the project is actually completed. This is certainly the case for my workbench. It was, actually still is, my first project. The day that I successfully attached the vice to it, I passed the first finish line. I started to use my workbench and paid no attention to the shelf that wasn't complete.
> 
> Today I awoke determined to add that shelf. I dreaded this part of the project for one reason. I would need to flip the bench over to attach the shelf. This one little dread had kept me from this task for a couple of months. So I started the day, with a little chisel sharpening, as a warm up. Best to get some good woodworking mojo going I figured. 30 minutes of warm up and I was ready. I headed downstairs and cleaned off the top of the workbench and then measured.
> 
> There is an old adage that you should measure twice and cut once. I always do this. Today I succeeded in misreading the tape measure exactly the same way twice. Every once in a while I look at my tape measure and just get it wrong. Today my tape measure was clearly telling me that it wanted me to write down 45 and 5/8ths inches. I had the 5/8ths correct, but for some reason I looked to the right of the hash for the inch number and went with 46. The terrible thing is that when I checked my measurement I did the exact same thing. So I was off by an inch for the length. In the end, it didn't matter, but I hate making such a silly mistake.
> 
> 
> 
> In the interest of practicing my Japanese handsaw skills, I cut the width down by hand. It took me fourteen and a half minutes. I was cutting through ¾ inch MDF. Being curious, I decided to time how long it would take me to set up and cut the length with my Bosch circular saw. I have very little experience with my circular saw, so I need the practice here as well. I bought it about a month ago and have only made a handful of cuts. I have a replaced the Bosch blade with a Freud. The cut took me a total of 6 minutes and 30 seconds to clamp the board, mark the cut, clamp down a guide, and actually do the cutting. I am sure that most competent woodworkers would do this in a minute or two, but I am still a little bit frightened by my circular saw.
> 
> The board was now the correct dimensions. I needed to only cut out the notches for the legs and then I would be ready to flip that heavy beast over and attach it. Cutting the notches turned out to be a perfect task for my Japanese hand saw. The only problem with my new saw is that it has a piece along the top to stabilize the blade. This limits its capabilities somewhat. I turned to my other, much lower quality, saw and it worked marvelously. I received a tip from a reader of a previous post. He suggested I cut from below the wood and pull the saw towards the ground. This worked marvelously and I was able to cut quickly and accurately. Learning this trick has made me a better woodworker. Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> Turning the bench over was much less of a pain than I imagined. I attached my shelf and flipped it back over. After centering it in the room I stepped back and was giddy. There was only one thing left to do. I would clean up the cases of my Bosch router and DeWalt drill and then put them on the shelf. I just couldn't put them on the shelf in their current state. Now I actually keep things pretty tidy, but both cases needed a good scrubbing. One thing led to another and I was in the garage cleaning each of my tools. I made great progress and took enormous joy arranging them on the workbench shelf. I cleaned for a long while, and I would estimate that I got it 95% of the way done. I will do the other half tomorrow.


Nice work Brian, Impressive for your first project. The tape measure chronicles are something I think all of us go through at some point. To err in the plus direction is a good thing, keep on truckin, you are on the right track. 
Later,
Doug in AZ.


----------



## GMman

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Project*
> 
> 
> 
> "When you have completed 95% of your journey, you are only halfway there."
> -Japanese Proverb
> 
> I need to remember this proverb whenever I approach the end of a project. I find that there are two finish lines when it comes to my tasks. The first finish line is where I start to feel good about what I have accomplished and the second one is where the project is actually completed. This is certainly the case for my workbench. It was, actually still is, my first project. The day that I successfully attached the vice to it, I passed the first finish line. I started to use my workbench and paid no attention to the shelf that wasn't complete.
> 
> Today I awoke determined to add that shelf. I dreaded this part of the project for one reason. I would need to flip the bench over to attach the shelf. This one little dread had kept me from this task for a couple of months. So I started the day, with a little chisel sharpening, as a warm up. Best to get some good woodworking mojo going I figured. 30 minutes of warm up and I was ready. I headed downstairs and cleaned off the top of the workbench and then measured.
> 
> There is an old adage that you should measure twice and cut once. I always do this. Today I succeeded in misreading the tape measure exactly the same way twice. Every once in a while I look at my tape measure and just get it wrong. Today my tape measure was clearly telling me that it wanted me to write down 45 and 5/8ths inches. I had the 5/8ths correct, but for some reason I looked to the right of the hash for the inch number and went with 46. The terrible thing is that when I checked my measurement I did the exact same thing. So I was off by an inch for the length. In the end, it didn't matter, but I hate making such a silly mistake.
> 
> 
> 
> In the interest of practicing my Japanese handsaw skills, I cut the width down by hand. It took me fourteen and a half minutes. I was cutting through ¾ inch MDF. Being curious, I decided to time how long it would take me to set up and cut the length with my Bosch circular saw. I have very little experience with my circular saw, so I need the practice here as well. I bought it about a month ago and have only made a handful of cuts. I have a replaced the Bosch blade with a Freud. The cut took me a total of 6 minutes and 30 seconds to clamp the board, mark the cut, clamp down a guide, and actually do the cutting. I am sure that most competent woodworkers would do this in a minute or two, but I am still a little bit frightened by my circular saw.
> 
> The board was now the correct dimensions. I needed to only cut out the notches for the legs and then I would be ready to flip that heavy beast over and attach it. Cutting the notches turned out to be a perfect task for my Japanese hand saw. The only problem with my new saw is that it has a piece along the top to stabilize the blade. This limits its capabilities somewhat. I turned to my other, much lower quality, saw and it worked marvelously. I received a tip from a reader of a previous post. He suggested I cut from below the wood and pull the saw towards the ground. This worked marvelously and I was able to cut quickly and accurately. Learning this trick has made me a better woodworker. Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> Turning the bench over was much less of a pain than I imagined. I attached my shelf and flipped it back over. After centering it in the room I stepped back and was giddy. There was only one thing left to do. I would clean up the cases of my Bosch router and DeWalt drill and then put them on the shelf. I just couldn't put them on the shelf in their current state. Now I actually keep things pretty tidy, but both cases needed a good scrubbing. One thing led to another and I was in the garage cleaning each of my tools. I made great progress and took enormous joy arranging them on the workbench shelf. I cleaned for a long while, and I would estimate that I got it 95% of the way done. I will do the other half tomorrow.


Good and strong looking bench. Thanks for posting


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Project*
> 
> 
> 
> "When you have completed 95% of your journey, you are only halfway there."
> -Japanese Proverb
> 
> I need to remember this proverb whenever I approach the end of a project. I find that there are two finish lines when it comes to my tasks. The first finish line is where I start to feel good about what I have accomplished and the second one is where the project is actually completed. This is certainly the case for my workbench. It was, actually still is, my first project. The day that I successfully attached the vice to it, I passed the first finish line. I started to use my workbench and paid no attention to the shelf that wasn't complete.
> 
> Today I awoke determined to add that shelf. I dreaded this part of the project for one reason. I would need to flip the bench over to attach the shelf. This one little dread had kept me from this task for a couple of months. So I started the day, with a little chisel sharpening, as a warm up. Best to get some good woodworking mojo going I figured. 30 minutes of warm up and I was ready. I headed downstairs and cleaned off the top of the workbench and then measured.
> 
> There is an old adage that you should measure twice and cut once. I always do this. Today I succeeded in misreading the tape measure exactly the same way twice. Every once in a while I look at my tape measure and just get it wrong. Today my tape measure was clearly telling me that it wanted me to write down 45 and 5/8ths inches. I had the 5/8ths correct, but for some reason I looked to the right of the hash for the inch number and went with 46. The terrible thing is that when I checked my measurement I did the exact same thing. So I was off by an inch for the length. In the end, it didn't matter, but I hate making such a silly mistake.
> 
> 
> 
> In the interest of practicing my Japanese handsaw skills, I cut the width down by hand. It took me fourteen and a half minutes. I was cutting through ¾ inch MDF. Being curious, I decided to time how long it would take me to set up and cut the length with my Bosch circular saw. I have very little experience with my circular saw, so I need the practice here as well. I bought it about a month ago and have only made a handful of cuts. I have a replaced the Bosch blade with a Freud. The cut took me a total of 6 minutes and 30 seconds to clamp the board, mark the cut, clamp down a guide, and actually do the cutting. I am sure that most competent woodworkers would do this in a minute or two, but I am still a little bit frightened by my circular saw.
> 
> The board was now the correct dimensions. I needed to only cut out the notches for the legs and then I would be ready to flip that heavy beast over and attach it. Cutting the notches turned out to be a perfect task for my Japanese hand saw. The only problem with my new saw is that it has a piece along the top to stabilize the blade. This limits its capabilities somewhat. I turned to my other, much lower quality, saw and it worked marvelously. I received a tip from a reader of a previous post. He suggested I cut from below the wood and pull the saw towards the ground. This worked marvelously and I was able to cut quickly and accurately. Learning this trick has made me a better woodworker. Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> Turning the bench over was much less of a pain than I imagined. I attached my shelf and flipped it back over. After centering it in the room I stepped back and was giddy. There was only one thing left to do. I would clean up the cases of my Bosch router and DeWalt drill and then put them on the shelf. I just couldn't put them on the shelf in their current state. Now I actually keep things pretty tidy, but both cases needed a good scrubbing. One thing led to another and I was in the garage cleaning each of my tools. I made great progress and took enormous joy arranging them on the workbench shelf. I cleaned for a long while, and I would estimate that I got it 95% of the way done. I will do the other half tomorrow.


Great progress Brian. I (actually, my wife and I) have been enjoying reading about your journey.


----------



## Karson

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Project*
> 
> 
> 
> "When you have completed 95% of your journey, you are only halfway there."
> -Japanese Proverb
> 
> I need to remember this proverb whenever I approach the end of a project. I find that there are two finish lines when it comes to my tasks. The first finish line is where I start to feel good about what I have accomplished and the second one is where the project is actually completed. This is certainly the case for my workbench. It was, actually still is, my first project. The day that I successfully attached the vice to it, I passed the first finish line. I started to use my workbench and paid no attention to the shelf that wasn't complete.
> 
> Today I awoke determined to add that shelf. I dreaded this part of the project for one reason. I would need to flip the bench over to attach the shelf. This one little dread had kept me from this task for a couple of months. So I started the day, with a little chisel sharpening, as a warm up. Best to get some good woodworking mojo going I figured. 30 minutes of warm up and I was ready. I headed downstairs and cleaned off the top of the workbench and then measured.
> 
> There is an old adage that you should measure twice and cut once. I always do this. Today I succeeded in misreading the tape measure exactly the same way twice. Every once in a while I look at my tape measure and just get it wrong. Today my tape measure was clearly telling me that it wanted me to write down 45 and 5/8ths inches. I had the 5/8ths correct, but for some reason I looked to the right of the hash for the inch number and went with 46. The terrible thing is that when I checked my measurement I did the exact same thing. So I was off by an inch for the length. In the end, it didn't matter, but I hate making such a silly mistake.
> 
> 
> 
> In the interest of practicing my Japanese handsaw skills, I cut the width down by hand. It took me fourteen and a half minutes. I was cutting through ¾ inch MDF. Being curious, I decided to time how long it would take me to set up and cut the length with my Bosch circular saw. I have very little experience with my circular saw, so I need the practice here as well. I bought it about a month ago and have only made a handful of cuts. I have a replaced the Bosch blade with a Freud. The cut took me a total of 6 minutes and 30 seconds to clamp the board, mark the cut, clamp down a guide, and actually do the cutting. I am sure that most competent woodworkers would do this in a minute or two, but I am still a little bit frightened by my circular saw.
> 
> The board was now the correct dimensions. I needed to only cut out the notches for the legs and then I would be ready to flip that heavy beast over and attach it. Cutting the notches turned out to be a perfect task for my Japanese hand saw. The only problem with my new saw is that it has a piece along the top to stabilize the blade. This limits its capabilities somewhat. I turned to my other, much lower quality, saw and it worked marvelously. I received a tip from a reader of a previous post. He suggested I cut from below the wood and pull the saw towards the ground. This worked marvelously and I was able to cut quickly and accurately. Learning this trick has made me a better woodworker. Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> Turning the bench over was much less of a pain than I imagined. I attached my shelf and flipped it back over. After centering it in the room I stepped back and was giddy. There was only one thing left to do. I would clean up the cases of my Bosch router and DeWalt drill and then put them on the shelf. I just couldn't put them on the shelf in their current state. Now I actually keep things pretty tidy, but both cases needed a good scrubbing. One thing led to another and I was in the garage cleaning each of my tools. I made great progress and took enormous joy arranging them on the workbench shelf. I cleaned for a long while, and I would estimate that I got it 95% of the way done. I will do the other half tomorrow.


The bench can't be big enough or heavy enough. I mean if you can lay it on it's back and make it upright without a house moving crew - It's not heavy enough.


----------



## dlmckirdy

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Project*
> 
> 
> 
> "When you have completed 95% of your journey, you are only halfway there."
> -Japanese Proverb
> 
> I need to remember this proverb whenever I approach the end of a project. I find that there are two finish lines when it comes to my tasks. The first finish line is where I start to feel good about what I have accomplished and the second one is where the project is actually completed. This is certainly the case for my workbench. It was, actually still is, my first project. The day that I successfully attached the vice to it, I passed the first finish line. I started to use my workbench and paid no attention to the shelf that wasn't complete.
> 
> Today I awoke determined to add that shelf. I dreaded this part of the project for one reason. I would need to flip the bench over to attach the shelf. This one little dread had kept me from this task for a couple of months. So I started the day, with a little chisel sharpening, as a warm up. Best to get some good woodworking mojo going I figured. 30 minutes of warm up and I was ready. I headed downstairs and cleaned off the top of the workbench and then measured.
> 
> There is an old adage that you should measure twice and cut once. I always do this. Today I succeeded in misreading the tape measure exactly the same way twice. Every once in a while I look at my tape measure and just get it wrong. Today my tape measure was clearly telling me that it wanted me to write down 45 and 5/8ths inches. I had the 5/8ths correct, but for some reason I looked to the right of the hash for the inch number and went with 46. The terrible thing is that when I checked my measurement I did the exact same thing. So I was off by an inch for the length. In the end, it didn't matter, but I hate making such a silly mistake.
> 
> 
> 
> In the interest of practicing my Japanese handsaw skills, I cut the width down by hand. It took me fourteen and a half minutes. I was cutting through ¾ inch MDF. Being curious, I decided to time how long it would take me to set up and cut the length with my Bosch circular saw. I have very little experience with my circular saw, so I need the practice here as well. I bought it about a month ago and have only made a handful of cuts. I have a replaced the Bosch blade with a Freud. The cut took me a total of 6 minutes and 30 seconds to clamp the board, mark the cut, clamp down a guide, and actually do the cutting. I am sure that most competent woodworkers would do this in a minute or two, but I am still a little bit frightened by my circular saw.
> 
> The board was now the correct dimensions. I needed to only cut out the notches for the legs and then I would be ready to flip that heavy beast over and attach it. Cutting the notches turned out to be a perfect task for my Japanese hand saw. The only problem with my new saw is that it has a piece along the top to stabilize the blade. This limits its capabilities somewhat. I turned to my other, much lower quality, saw and it worked marvelously. I received a tip from a reader of a previous post. He suggested I cut from below the wood and pull the saw towards the ground. This worked marvelously and I was able to cut quickly and accurately. Learning this trick has made me a better woodworker. Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> Turning the bench over was much less of a pain than I imagined. I attached my shelf and flipped it back over. After centering it in the room I stepped back and was giddy. There was only one thing left to do. I would clean up the cases of my Bosch router and DeWalt drill and then put them on the shelf. I just couldn't put them on the shelf in their current state. Now I actually keep things pretty tidy, but both cases needed a good scrubbing. One thing led to another and I was in the garage cleaning each of my tools. I made great progress and took enormous joy arranging them on the workbench shelf. I cleaned for a long while, and I would estimate that I got it 95% of the way done. I will do the other half tomorrow.


I'll bet the shelf stiffened the bench up significantly. Also all the power tools down there will add some weight to make it even more stabile. Good Job!


----------



## Ecocandle

*Horrible Dovetail Blunder*



The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.



I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."



Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


----------



## mckenziedrums

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


You didn't cut on the wrong side of the line… You just adjusted the size of your tails and pins is all


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


LOL…Now that is a great woodworking tip.


----------



## chuck66

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


You screwed up on cutting your first dovetails? You will NEVER be a successful woodworker.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


I am sure you are right Chuck. 
I see you are from DC, did you make it to the Greene and Greene exhibit at the Renwick last year?
It was fantastic, I went 6 times.


----------



## gizmodyne

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


You have not made a mistake until you cut the pins. The tails are just a template for the pins. The thing to aim for is cuts that are square to the faces of your board. You can adjust them square by light paring. When you go to cut the pins split the line towards the waste side keeping the vertical cut square. Keep on….


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


What I am trying to imagine is how you find the time to post these missives each day without skipping one or two for a smoke or something … of course, it will be harder when the weather warms up.


----------



## Karson

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


I enjoy your description of driving around the Mega Mall after that it was all downhill. (I mean the saw is tipped downhill)


----------



## THEGREATPUMPKIN

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


Brian,Remember; measure twice, cut once, pound with a big hammer till it fits. Keep up the great writing, it's a bit of warm air in a long cold winter. JIM


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


Tools = Progress.

Beware breaking the 'guy code'. It has consequences.

Love your progress,
Steve


----------



## Fireball

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


Funny stuff! Keep on trying!


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


Thanks for keeping us updated. The great thing about practicing dovetails is that they take very little material. Just cut an inch or so off the end and try again.

It looks like Martelle, Iowa is growing like crazy. The 2000 census gives the population as 280. That's 25% growth in 10 years! And at 0.3 sq miles (192 acres) I can understand why the journey to the post office is a major undertaking - I hope that you remember to bring some food and water with you in case you get lost or run out of gas


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


I stand corrected. I guess with all the hustle and bustle in this major urban landscape I miscounted. Noted!


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


I loved the read. So the 8 DVDs and two books were woodworking related or did you fail to elaborate… for shame?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Horrible Dovetail Blunder*
> 
> 
> 
> The population of Martelle Iowa is in the neighborhood of 350, so one could use the phrase thriving metropolis comfortably. We do not have door to door USPS delivery, which is a little bit of a bummer, but it does have a tremendous upside. The excitement I get when I hop in the care and drive all the way across town to check my post office box. It is almost like Festivus all year round, without the pole or 'airing of grievances'. Actually I don't care for mail, but last Thursday I made several online purchases. En route to zip code 52305 was a brand new Japanese hand saw, which was rated 'Best Overall' by Fine Woodworking. I also ordered, from another site, 8 DVDs and 2 books.
> Since I ordered them both on Thursday of last week, and didn't choose any of the fancy pants options with regard to shipping and handling, I didn't expect them until the middle of the week. As a rule, I am more of a average pantaloon shipping sort of guy. So imagine my surprise when there was a long rectangular box waiting for me. After I explained at length, to the Martelle postmaster, what a Japanese hand saw was, and why I am much cooler for owning one, I headed back across town. I drove down the main street, past the Football Stadium, around the Mega Mall, cut across the parking lot to the Subway, and finally after a few more turns, arrived back home. Ok, I may have exaggerated the length of my trip, and some of the sites in Martelle, but you get the point. Though it is a short trip, I was eager to try out my new saw, and what took 4 minutes, seemed like it took well over 5 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know how to cut a dovetail. I don't know how to mark them. I have picked up a couple of tips, but that is all. Safety is important. I always read the instructions before trying any new tool. This, of course, goes against the 'guy code', but I do it anyway. Luckily for me it is a hand saw, and were there instructions included, they would say, Step 1. Pull, Step 2. Push lightly, Step 3 rinse and repeat. Oh wait, that last one was from my Japanese hair conditioner. I digress.
> Without any instructions to impede my progress, I grabbed a pencil, my little angle marker thingy that I bought from an antique shop last weekend. I have no idea what they are called, but I have seen them used in laying out the tails and pins for the aforementioned joinery. I have also read that the real masters don't measure their dovetails, they eyeball it. It is as if the woodworking gods are begging me not to bother with measuring, but are saying instead, "Go forth and run amok with your new saw."
> 
> 
> 
> Not wishing to face the wrath of an angry woodworking deity, I quickly marked the tails on a piece of hard maple and clamped it in the vice. I took great care to mark the waste areas with a 'w' so I would not chisel out the wrong bits. I have read that one should cut close to the line and then pare it up the rest of the way, to get a nice fit. One of the problems that 'amok runners' often face is that they blunder. I made a blunder worse than 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 a6 5. Nxe5 and black taking the queen on the 5th move. Today I was playing black. I took such care to mark my tails and then I immediately cut on the wrong side of the line. Oh well, that is why I am determined to practice these skills before I try them on something I care about.
> I am happy to report that the saw rated 'Best Overall' is a wonderful cutting device. The kerf was thinner than Kate Moss. The saw cut a really straight, albeit poorly place, line. Ok, now it is time to do some more practicing, I think I will work on the Sicilian Dragon and thus avoid the possibility of a blunder on the 5th move.


It is called a teaser…you will just have to read today's blog to find out. Aren't I tricky?!


----------



## Ecocandle

*Dovetail Delusions*



"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."

-Albert Einstein

Because of yesterdays joyous trip to the post office, I had high expectations that today I would find a plethora of woodworking DVDs and a smattering of books, waiting for me. My anticipation remains. Driving across the endless miles, actually yards, which make up Martelle, I thought of Albert Einstein and his bike quote. I haven't been on a bike in some time, but I was sure that all I needed to keep my balance was a bit of time practicing dovetails.

After the cutting, sometimes on the correct side of the lines, one needs to remove the waste. I am sure there are a bunch of useful tips on how one does this, but alas I haven't read any of them yet. For some unexplainable reason I seem determined to learn to cut dovetails by hand through experimentation. Even as I write this, it is clear that, this is at best, a dumb idea. Perhaps I will do some research before my next practice session.

A reasonable man would cut a set of pins after a set of tails. I am not a reasonable man. I am a logical man who has delusions of grandeur. Though there are clearly some issues with my first set of tails, I was generally pleased with how they look. I can do better. So I will cut some more practice tails, possibly quite a few of them, before I move onto the pins. There are two good reasons to approach my education this way. One, I am able to focus on one aspect and learn through repetition. Two, the errors one makes don't really become painfully apparent until the pins and tails are joined. I choose to maintain my warm fuzzy feeling for a few days more.

The source of my warm fuzzy feeling isn't the results. It started when I began to clean up the area around the tails with my chisel. As I pared away bits of wood I felt comfortable. I felt like my hands were beginning to get use to manipulating the chisel in a controlled fashion. Though I am delusional about the actual quality of my tails, I am not the least bit delusional about the amount of practice and work it takes to master the use of the chisel. I know that it will be some time until I am there, but seeing progress is all that I need to keep the motivation to continue.



Ok that isn't exactly true. A sign of progress is actually just a one ingredient in the inspiration salad. The recipe for inspiration salad, as it was told to me by Louise, a Cajun chef, motivational speaker, and part time bantamweight boxer, is as follows. One part motivation, two parts natural essence of obsessive compulsive, three tablespoons of competitive juices, mixed in a small wooden bowl (carved by a sharpening monk) and served on a bed of noodles covered in a white wine sauce. This combined with a healthy portion of pot stickers can feed the soul and body.

With each day I feel myself progressing nicely towards my dream of being to woodworking, what Albert Einstein was to the… 'Tour De France'.

Editors Note: It has been pointed out to me that the population of Martelle, according to the most recent census is 280. I stand corrected. I have fired the entire fact checking department, three secretaries, and two people in legal, just for good measure.


----------



## chuck66

Ecocandle said:


> *Dovetail Delusions*
> 
> 
> 
> "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."
> 
> -Albert Einstein
> 
> Because of yesterdays joyous trip to the post office, I had high expectations that today I would find a plethora of woodworking DVDs and a smattering of books, waiting for me. My anticipation remains. Driving across the endless miles, actually yards, which make up Martelle, I thought of Albert Einstein and his bike quote. I haven't been on a bike in some time, but I was sure that all I needed to keep my balance was a bit of time practicing dovetails.
> 
> After the cutting, sometimes on the correct side of the lines, one needs to remove the waste. I am sure there are a bunch of useful tips on how one does this, but alas I haven't read any of them yet. For some unexplainable reason I seem determined to learn to cut dovetails by hand through experimentation. Even as I write this, it is clear that, this is at best, a dumb idea. Perhaps I will do some research before my next practice session.
> 
> A reasonable man would cut a set of pins after a set of tails. I am not a reasonable man. I am a logical man who has delusions of grandeur. Though there are clearly some issues with my first set of tails, I was generally pleased with how they look. I can do better. So I will cut some more practice tails, possibly quite a few of them, before I move onto the pins. There are two good reasons to approach my education this way. One, I am able to focus on one aspect and learn through repetition. Two, the errors one makes don't really become painfully apparent until the pins and tails are joined. I choose to maintain my warm fuzzy feeling for a few days more.
> 
> The source of my warm fuzzy feeling isn't the results. It started when I began to clean up the area around the tails with my chisel. As I pared away bits of wood I felt comfortable. I felt like my hands were beginning to get use to manipulating the chisel in a controlled fashion. Though I am delusional about the actual quality of my tails, I am not the least bit delusional about the amount of practice and work it takes to master the use of the chisel. I know that it will be some time until I am there, but seeing progress is all that I need to keep the motivation to continue.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok that isn't exactly true. A sign of progress is actually just a one ingredient in the inspiration salad. The recipe for inspiration salad, as it was told to me by Louise, a Cajun chef, motivational speaker, and part time bantamweight boxer, is as follows. One part motivation, two parts natural essence of obsessive compulsive, three tablespoons of competitive juices, mixed in a small wooden bowl (carved by a sharpening monk) and served on a bed of noodles covered in a white wine sauce. This combined with a healthy portion of pot stickers can feed the soul and body.
> 
> With each day I feel myself progressing nicely towards my dream of being to woodworking, what Albert Einstein was to the… 'Tour De France'.
> 
> Editors Note: It has been pointed out to me that the population of Martelle, according to the most recent census is 280. I stand corrected. I have fired the entire fact checking department, three secretaries, and two people in legal, just for good measure.


I've also been pining to learn dovetail cutting. I think for now I'll sit on the fence until I can acquire the high quality (and very expensive) hand tools that will make it as easy as all the videos appear it to be. I'll be watching your progress.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Dovetail Delusions*
> 
> 
> 
> "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."
> 
> -Albert Einstein
> 
> Because of yesterdays joyous trip to the post office, I had high expectations that today I would find a plethora of woodworking DVDs and a smattering of books, waiting for me. My anticipation remains. Driving across the endless miles, actually yards, which make up Martelle, I thought of Albert Einstein and his bike quote. I haven't been on a bike in some time, but I was sure that all I needed to keep my balance was a bit of time practicing dovetails.
> 
> After the cutting, sometimes on the correct side of the lines, one needs to remove the waste. I am sure there are a bunch of useful tips on how one does this, but alas I haven't read any of them yet. For some unexplainable reason I seem determined to learn to cut dovetails by hand through experimentation. Even as I write this, it is clear that, this is at best, a dumb idea. Perhaps I will do some research before my next practice session.
> 
> A reasonable man would cut a set of pins after a set of tails. I am not a reasonable man. I am a logical man who has delusions of grandeur. Though there are clearly some issues with my first set of tails, I was generally pleased with how they look. I can do better. So I will cut some more practice tails, possibly quite a few of them, before I move onto the pins. There are two good reasons to approach my education this way. One, I am able to focus on one aspect and learn through repetition. Two, the errors one makes don't really become painfully apparent until the pins and tails are joined. I choose to maintain my warm fuzzy feeling for a few days more.
> 
> The source of my warm fuzzy feeling isn't the results. It started when I began to clean up the area around the tails with my chisel. As I pared away bits of wood I felt comfortable. I felt like my hands were beginning to get use to manipulating the chisel in a controlled fashion. Though I am delusional about the actual quality of my tails, I am not the least bit delusional about the amount of practice and work it takes to master the use of the chisel. I know that it will be some time until I am there, but seeing progress is all that I need to keep the motivation to continue.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok that isn't exactly true. A sign of progress is actually just a one ingredient in the inspiration salad. The recipe for inspiration salad, as it was told to me by Louise, a Cajun chef, motivational speaker, and part time bantamweight boxer, is as follows. One part motivation, two parts natural essence of obsessive compulsive, three tablespoons of competitive juices, mixed in a small wooden bowl (carved by a sharpening monk) and served on a bed of noodles covered in a white wine sauce. This combined with a healthy portion of pot stickers can feed the soul and body.
> 
> With each day I feel myself progressing nicely towards my dream of being to woodworking, what Albert Einstein was to the… 'Tour De France'.
> 
> Editors Note: It has been pointed out to me that the population of Martelle, according to the most recent census is 280. I stand corrected. I have fired the entire fact checking department, three secretaries, and two people in legal, just for good measure.


Brian,
I wish you as much success with making dovetail joints as you already have with the written word!

d


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Dovetail Delusions*
> 
> 
> 
> "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."
> 
> -Albert Einstein
> 
> Because of yesterdays joyous trip to the post office, I had high expectations that today I would find a plethora of woodworking DVDs and a smattering of books, waiting for me. My anticipation remains. Driving across the endless miles, actually yards, which make up Martelle, I thought of Albert Einstein and his bike quote. I haven't been on a bike in some time, but I was sure that all I needed to keep my balance was a bit of time practicing dovetails.
> 
> After the cutting, sometimes on the correct side of the lines, one needs to remove the waste. I am sure there are a bunch of useful tips on how one does this, but alas I haven't read any of them yet. For some unexplainable reason I seem determined to learn to cut dovetails by hand through experimentation. Even as I write this, it is clear that, this is at best, a dumb idea. Perhaps I will do some research before my next practice session.
> 
> A reasonable man would cut a set of pins after a set of tails. I am not a reasonable man. I am a logical man who has delusions of grandeur. Though there are clearly some issues with my first set of tails, I was generally pleased with how they look. I can do better. So I will cut some more practice tails, possibly quite a few of them, before I move onto the pins. There are two good reasons to approach my education this way. One, I am able to focus on one aspect and learn through repetition. Two, the errors one makes don't really become painfully apparent until the pins and tails are joined. I choose to maintain my warm fuzzy feeling for a few days more.
> 
> The source of my warm fuzzy feeling isn't the results. It started when I began to clean up the area around the tails with my chisel. As I pared away bits of wood I felt comfortable. I felt like my hands were beginning to get use to manipulating the chisel in a controlled fashion. Though I am delusional about the actual quality of my tails, I am not the least bit delusional about the amount of practice and work it takes to master the use of the chisel. I know that it will be some time until I am there, but seeing progress is all that I need to keep the motivation to continue.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok that isn't exactly true. A sign of progress is actually just a one ingredient in the inspiration salad. The recipe for inspiration salad, as it was told to me by Louise, a Cajun chef, motivational speaker, and part time bantamweight boxer, is as follows. One part motivation, two parts natural essence of obsessive compulsive, three tablespoons of competitive juices, mixed in a small wooden bowl (carved by a sharpening monk) and served on a bed of noodles covered in a white wine sauce. This combined with a healthy portion of pot stickers can feed the soul and body.
> 
> With each day I feel myself progressing nicely towards my dream of being to woodworking, what Albert Einstein was to the… 'Tour De France'.
> 
> Editors Note: It has been pointed out to me that the population of Martelle, according to the most recent census is 280. I stand corrected. I have fired the entire fact checking department, three secretaries, and two people in legal, just for good measure.


I second Don's comment. Once you get a year or two of woodworking in, you should go back through these posts and parse down a timeline of projects and put them in a book form. I think a journal of woodworking, written in your style, would be something many woodworkers would be happy to put on their shelf. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance would not hold a candle to it


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Dovetail Delusions*
> 
> 
> 
> "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."
> 
> -Albert Einstein
> 
> Because of yesterdays joyous trip to the post office, I had high expectations that today I would find a plethora of woodworking DVDs and a smattering of books, waiting for me. My anticipation remains. Driving across the endless miles, actually yards, which make up Martelle, I thought of Albert Einstein and his bike quote. I haven't been on a bike in some time, but I was sure that all I needed to keep my balance was a bit of time practicing dovetails.
> 
> After the cutting, sometimes on the correct side of the lines, one needs to remove the waste. I am sure there are a bunch of useful tips on how one does this, but alas I haven't read any of them yet. For some unexplainable reason I seem determined to learn to cut dovetails by hand through experimentation. Even as I write this, it is clear that, this is at best, a dumb idea. Perhaps I will do some research before my next practice session.
> 
> A reasonable man would cut a set of pins after a set of tails. I am not a reasonable man. I am a logical man who has delusions of grandeur. Though there are clearly some issues with my first set of tails, I was generally pleased with how they look. I can do better. So I will cut some more practice tails, possibly quite a few of them, before I move onto the pins. There are two good reasons to approach my education this way. One, I am able to focus on one aspect and learn through repetition. Two, the errors one makes don't really become painfully apparent until the pins and tails are joined. I choose to maintain my warm fuzzy feeling for a few days more.
> 
> The source of my warm fuzzy feeling isn't the results. It started when I began to clean up the area around the tails with my chisel. As I pared away bits of wood I felt comfortable. I felt like my hands were beginning to get use to manipulating the chisel in a controlled fashion. Though I am delusional about the actual quality of my tails, I am not the least bit delusional about the amount of practice and work it takes to master the use of the chisel. I know that it will be some time until I am there, but seeing progress is all that I need to keep the motivation to continue.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok that isn't exactly true. A sign of progress is actually just a one ingredient in the inspiration salad. The recipe for inspiration salad, as it was told to me by Louise, a Cajun chef, motivational speaker, and part time bantamweight boxer, is as follows. One part motivation, two parts natural essence of obsessive compulsive, three tablespoons of competitive juices, mixed in a small wooden bowl (carved by a sharpening monk) and served on a bed of noodles covered in a white wine sauce. This combined with a healthy portion of pot stickers can feed the soul and body.
> 
> With each day I feel myself progressing nicely towards my dream of being to woodworking, what Albert Einstein was to the… 'Tour De France'.
> 
> Editors Note: It has been pointed out to me that the population of Martelle, according to the most recent census is 280. I stand corrected. I have fired the entire fact checking department, three secretaries, and two people in legal, just for good measure.


Thanks you both for your encouragement. I think that talk of a book deal is a bit premature, but I appreciate the support. I have not read 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance', but I am aware that it is a widely appreciated tome. I think you may have set the bar a little high for me. How about better than, 'Ethel the Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying"?


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Dovetail Delusions*
> 
> 
> 
> "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."
> 
> -Albert Einstein
> 
> Because of yesterdays joyous trip to the post office, I had high expectations that today I would find a plethora of woodworking DVDs and a smattering of books, waiting for me. My anticipation remains. Driving across the endless miles, actually yards, which make up Martelle, I thought of Albert Einstein and his bike quote. I haven't been on a bike in some time, but I was sure that all I needed to keep my balance was a bit of time practicing dovetails.
> 
> After the cutting, sometimes on the correct side of the lines, one needs to remove the waste. I am sure there are a bunch of useful tips on how one does this, but alas I haven't read any of them yet. For some unexplainable reason I seem determined to learn to cut dovetails by hand through experimentation. Even as I write this, it is clear that, this is at best, a dumb idea. Perhaps I will do some research before my next practice session.
> 
> A reasonable man would cut a set of pins after a set of tails. I am not a reasonable man. I am a logical man who has delusions of grandeur. Though there are clearly some issues with my first set of tails, I was generally pleased with how they look. I can do better. So I will cut some more practice tails, possibly quite a few of them, before I move onto the pins. There are two good reasons to approach my education this way. One, I am able to focus on one aspect and learn through repetition. Two, the errors one makes don't really become painfully apparent until the pins and tails are joined. I choose to maintain my warm fuzzy feeling for a few days more.
> 
> The source of my warm fuzzy feeling isn't the results. It started when I began to clean up the area around the tails with my chisel. As I pared away bits of wood I felt comfortable. I felt like my hands were beginning to get use to manipulating the chisel in a controlled fashion. Though I am delusional about the actual quality of my tails, I am not the least bit delusional about the amount of practice and work it takes to master the use of the chisel. I know that it will be some time until I am there, but seeing progress is all that I need to keep the motivation to continue.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok that isn't exactly true. A sign of progress is actually just a one ingredient in the inspiration salad. The recipe for inspiration salad, as it was told to me by Louise, a Cajun chef, motivational speaker, and part time bantamweight boxer, is as follows. One part motivation, two parts natural essence of obsessive compulsive, three tablespoons of competitive juices, mixed in a small wooden bowl (carved by a sharpening monk) and served on a bed of noodles covered in a white wine sauce. This combined with a healthy portion of pot stickers can feed the soul and body.
> 
> With each day I feel myself progressing nicely towards my dream of being to woodworking, what Albert Einstein was to the… 'Tour De France'.
> 
> Editors Note: It has been pointed out to me that the population of Martelle, according to the most recent census is 280. I stand corrected. I have fired the entire fact checking department, three secretaries, and two people in legal, just for good measure.


Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Now that's the first thing you've said that fails to reach my core of sanity.
Yes, yes, I know it's so small its hard to find.

d


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Dovetail Delusions*
> 
> 
> 
> "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."
> 
> -Albert Einstein
> 
> Because of yesterdays joyous trip to the post office, I had high expectations that today I would find a plethora of woodworking DVDs and a smattering of books, waiting for me. My anticipation remains. Driving across the endless miles, actually yards, which make up Martelle, I thought of Albert Einstein and his bike quote. I haven't been on a bike in some time, but I was sure that all I needed to keep my balance was a bit of time practicing dovetails.
> 
> After the cutting, sometimes on the correct side of the lines, one needs to remove the waste. I am sure there are a bunch of useful tips on how one does this, but alas I haven't read any of them yet. For some unexplainable reason I seem determined to learn to cut dovetails by hand through experimentation. Even as I write this, it is clear that, this is at best, a dumb idea. Perhaps I will do some research before my next practice session.
> 
> A reasonable man would cut a set of pins after a set of tails. I am not a reasonable man. I am a logical man who has delusions of grandeur. Though there are clearly some issues with my first set of tails, I was generally pleased with how they look. I can do better. So I will cut some more practice tails, possibly quite a few of them, before I move onto the pins. There are two good reasons to approach my education this way. One, I am able to focus on one aspect and learn through repetition. Two, the errors one makes don't really become painfully apparent until the pins and tails are joined. I choose to maintain my warm fuzzy feeling for a few days more.
> 
> The source of my warm fuzzy feeling isn't the results. It started when I began to clean up the area around the tails with my chisel. As I pared away bits of wood I felt comfortable. I felt like my hands were beginning to get use to manipulating the chisel in a controlled fashion. Though I am delusional about the actual quality of my tails, I am not the least bit delusional about the amount of practice and work it takes to master the use of the chisel. I know that it will be some time until I am there, but seeing progress is all that I need to keep the motivation to continue.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok that isn't exactly true. A sign of progress is actually just a one ingredient in the inspiration salad. The recipe for inspiration salad, as it was told to me by Louise, a Cajun chef, motivational speaker, and part time bantamweight boxer, is as follows. One part motivation, two parts natural essence of obsessive compulsive, three tablespoons of competitive juices, mixed in a small wooden bowl (carved by a sharpening monk) and served on a bed of noodles covered in a white wine sauce. This combined with a healthy portion of pot stickers can feed the soul and body.
> 
> With each day I feel myself progressing nicely towards my dream of being to woodworking, what Albert Einstein was to the… 'Tour De France'.
> 
> Editors Note: It has been pointed out to me that the population of Martelle, according to the most recent census is 280. I stand corrected. I have fired the entire fact checking department, three secretaries, and two people in legal, just for good measure.


We hope to be able to contribute to your woodworking skills Brian while you pay us back with your word skills. After all, the thing we are really after is entertainment in one form or another. Life is pretty boring for many of us, so we will have take it where we can get it. Your tails look pretty good. Can't wait to see the pins! Keep up the good work.


----------



## Ecocandle

*It aint my Faulkner*



"Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it." -William Faulkner, Novel,1930 'As I Lay Dying'

I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it a great deal, especially after I became use to the style, called stream of consciousness, with which Faulkner penned his 'tour de force'. In just 6 weeks, while he was working a power plant, he wrote one of the great novels of the 20th century.

'As I Stood Chiseling', by Louis 'The Ladies Man' Ban, is written in a similar, yet lesser known French literary style, Stream De Merde. The hallmarks of this style involves convoluted and often pointless rambling that have little bearing on the main plot or characters. Some would argue that Ban's chapter on the through mortise is one of the worst 73 pages in literary history, surpassed only by, Henry James Thornton's section about weasels and their dreams in his last book, 'Rodentia Musings' circa 1874. All arguments aside, it is certainly agreed upon by most scholars, that his main character is less interesting than peat moss. The worst point in the Homeresque length diatribe is when he writes, "As I stood chiseling my mind began to wonder, as it often does, to thoughts, not of woodworking, but of other less important things. Would a monkey enjoy cheese? I thought to myself, and if so, would said monkey prefer a finely aged Jarlsberger or sharp cheddar…which reminds me, I haven't sharpened my chisel in some time. I like sharpening my chisel. Why are British comedians able to make everything sound like a double entendre? How do they link any two words together and make them sound dirty, 'How about a tug and a whistle?' seems like something one might hear from their lips. Darn, I took too much from the side." This 'stream' continued on for what seemed like a fortnight.

I would imagine that many of you are thinking the same thing of today's blog and you would be right to do so. I considered writing my musing of minutia and telling you in great length about my through mortise cutting today. Actually, after I typed, 'I cut a couple of through mortises today', I had run out of material. It didn't seem lengthy enough for a blog post, so today I am going to tell you a bit about myself.

To begin with, and in the interest of full disclosure, my blog title is not my own creation. Though I think it is funny and quite clever, the phrase was first uttered in my proximity by Bryce Miller. Bryce is a wordsmith by training and the Executive Sports Editor for the Des Moines Register. If I were to improve my writing by 1000% it would still be only half as good as the pieces he has written. (Bryce = (Brian x 10)/.5)

My friend's fiancé had gotten a new puppy, his name was Roger. Roger was a Treeing Walker ******************** Hound. They have one function in life, from 8 am until 5pm, they bark. Roger barked at leaves, at passers bye, at walnut falling from the trees in the back yard, and often just at the wind. When he was a puppy he looked like a beagle with massive feet. One day Mary was playing with Roger and stood him up and resting his two front legs over her knees. He just stood their content and resting from a long day of disturbing the neighbors. Bryce looked over and Roger and said, "You are Extremely Average." This made me chuckle. And such is the story of how I came to name my blog. It still makes me chuckle.

I have many interests beyond woodworking. I am also an avid photographer. I sell my works through half a dozen stock photo sites. In fact, 3 of the pictures from post #5 have already had sales. I am finding that while I am improving at using hand tools for woodworking, I am also making an equal measure of improvement in lighting still life images. It is also really handy to have all those lights around so that I never have trouble seeing what I am working on.



Another interest is reading. I love books. I like buying them, I like having them neatly displayed on my bookshelves, and most of all I like reading and rereading them. When a novel is so good that it is tough to put down and the mere act of finishing it makes you sad, as there isn't any more, that is quite a good book. I feel that way about, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', 'The Catcher in the Rye', and 'Snow Crash'. I also felt that way about Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy', and it was 1482 pages of very small type. A good book is a good thing indeed. I am sure someone famous said that, probably with a posh British accent.

So do I have anything substantive to say on the subject of my Woodworking Journey? No. Did I receive the bundle of woodworking DVD's and books I was expecting to find at my local office of post? No. Has this made me more bitter and angry than Rosie O'Donnell? No, that last one was a trick question, and I got it right, as it is not possible, though I am somewhat bitter. I guess I would feel better if I cut some tenons to fit through my through mortises. I think I will grab an apple and head back to the basement for some tenon cutting. Thanks for stopping in and giving me a read. I hope you weren't too disappointed.


----------



## douginaz

Ecocandle said:


> *It aint my Faulkner*
> 
> 
> 
> "Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it." -William Faulkner, Novel,1930 'As I Lay Dying'
> 
> I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it a great deal, especially after I became use to the style, called stream of consciousness, with which Faulkner penned his 'tour de force'. In just 6 weeks, while he was working a power plant, he wrote one of the great novels of the 20th century.
> 
> 'As I Stood Chiseling', by Louis 'The Ladies Man' Ban, is written in a similar, yet lesser known French literary style, Stream De Merde. The hallmarks of this style involves convoluted and often pointless rambling that have little bearing on the main plot or characters. Some would argue that Ban's chapter on the through mortise is one of the worst 73 pages in literary history, surpassed only by, Henry James Thornton's section about weasels and their dreams in his last book, 'Rodentia Musings' circa 1874. All arguments aside, it is certainly agreed upon by most scholars, that his main character is less interesting than peat moss. The worst point in the Homeresque length diatribe is when he writes, "As I stood chiseling my mind began to wonder, as it often does, to thoughts, not of woodworking, but of other less important things. Would a monkey enjoy cheese? I thought to myself, and if so, would said monkey prefer a finely aged Jarlsberger or sharp cheddar…which reminds me, I haven't sharpened my chisel in some time. I like sharpening my chisel. Why are British comedians able to make everything sound like a double entendre? How do they link any two words together and make them sound dirty, 'How about a tug and a whistle?' seems like something one might hear from their lips. Darn, I took too much from the side." This 'stream' continued on for what seemed like a fortnight.
> 
> I would imagine that many of you are thinking the same thing of today's blog and you would be right to do so. I considered writing my musing of minutia and telling you in great length about my through mortise cutting today. Actually, after I typed, 'I cut a couple of through mortises today', I had run out of material. It didn't seem lengthy enough for a blog post, so today I am going to tell you a bit about myself.
> 
> To begin with, and in the interest of full disclosure, my blog title is not my own creation. Though I think it is funny and quite clever, the phrase was first uttered in my proximity by Bryce Miller. Bryce is a wordsmith by training and the Executive Sports Editor for the Des Moines Register. If I were to improve my writing by 1000% it would still be only half as good as the pieces he has written. (Bryce = (Brian x 10)/.5)
> 
> My friend's fiancé had gotten a new puppy, his name was Roger. Roger was a Treeing Walker ******************** Hound. They have one function in life, from 8 am until 5pm, they bark. Roger barked at leaves, at passers bye, at walnut falling from the trees in the back yard, and often just at the wind. When he was a puppy he looked like a beagle with massive feet. One day Mary was playing with Roger and stood him up and resting his two front legs over her knees. He just stood their content and resting from a long day of disturbing the neighbors. Bryce looked over and Roger and said, "You are Extremely Average." This made me chuckle. And such is the story of how I came to name my blog. It still makes me chuckle.
> 
> I have many interests beyond woodworking. I am also an avid photographer. I sell my works through half a dozen stock photo sites. In fact, 3 of the pictures from post #5 have already had sales. I am finding that while I am improving at using hand tools for woodworking, I am also making an equal measure of improvement in lighting still life images. It is also really handy to have all those lights around so that I never have trouble seeing what I am working on.
> 
> 
> 
> Another interest is reading. I love books. I like buying them, I like having them neatly displayed on my bookshelves, and most of all I like reading and rereading them. When a novel is so good that it is tough to put down and the mere act of finishing it makes you sad, as there isn't any more, that is quite a good book. I feel that way about, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', 'The Catcher in the Rye', and 'Snow Crash'. I also felt that way about Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy', and it was 1482 pages of very small type. A good book is a good thing indeed. I am sure someone famous said that, probably with a posh British accent.
> 
> So do I have anything substantive to say on the subject of my Woodworking Journey? No. Did I receive the bundle of woodworking DVD's and books I was expecting to find at my local office of post? No. Has this made me more bitter and angry than Rosie O'Donnell? No, that last one was a trick question, and I got it right, as it is not possible, though I am somewhat bitter. I guess I would feel better if I cut some tenons to fit through my through mortises. I think I will grab an apple and head back to the basement for some tenon cutting. Thanks for stopping in and giving me a read. I hope you weren't too disappointed.


Never boring, always unique, I too enjoy idle musings but my reading tends more towards fiction from King and Kuntz. Odd Thomas stories always tickle my fancy. Thanks for the story on how you got the name. 
Cheers - by the way - you seem like a turner to me for some reason, I think you might enjoy the site of shrinking wood turning into a trinket or bauble. Just a thought. 
Later, 
Doug


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *It aint my Faulkner*
> 
> 
> 
> "Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it." -William Faulkner, Novel,1930 'As I Lay Dying'
> 
> I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it a great deal, especially after I became use to the style, called stream of consciousness, with which Faulkner penned his 'tour de force'. In just 6 weeks, while he was working a power plant, he wrote one of the great novels of the 20th century.
> 
> 'As I Stood Chiseling', by Louis 'The Ladies Man' Ban, is written in a similar, yet lesser known French literary style, Stream De Merde. The hallmarks of this style involves convoluted and often pointless rambling that have little bearing on the main plot or characters. Some would argue that Ban's chapter on the through mortise is one of the worst 73 pages in literary history, surpassed only by, Henry James Thornton's section about weasels and their dreams in his last book, 'Rodentia Musings' circa 1874. All arguments aside, it is certainly agreed upon by most scholars, that his main character is less interesting than peat moss. The worst point in the Homeresque length diatribe is when he writes, "As I stood chiseling my mind began to wonder, as it often does, to thoughts, not of woodworking, but of other less important things. Would a monkey enjoy cheese? I thought to myself, and if so, would said monkey prefer a finely aged Jarlsberger or sharp cheddar…which reminds me, I haven't sharpened my chisel in some time. I like sharpening my chisel. Why are British comedians able to make everything sound like a double entendre? How do they link any two words together and make them sound dirty, 'How about a tug and a whistle?' seems like something one might hear from their lips. Darn, I took too much from the side." This 'stream' continued on for what seemed like a fortnight.
> 
> I would imagine that many of you are thinking the same thing of today's blog and you would be right to do so. I considered writing my musing of minutia and telling you in great length about my through mortise cutting today. Actually, after I typed, 'I cut a couple of through mortises today', I had run out of material. It didn't seem lengthy enough for a blog post, so today I am going to tell you a bit about myself.
> 
> To begin with, and in the interest of full disclosure, my blog title is not my own creation. Though I think it is funny and quite clever, the phrase was first uttered in my proximity by Bryce Miller. Bryce is a wordsmith by training and the Executive Sports Editor for the Des Moines Register. If I were to improve my writing by 1000% it would still be only half as good as the pieces he has written. (Bryce = (Brian x 10)/.5)
> 
> My friend's fiancé had gotten a new puppy, his name was Roger. Roger was a Treeing Walker ******************** Hound. They have one function in life, from 8 am until 5pm, they bark. Roger barked at leaves, at passers bye, at walnut falling from the trees in the back yard, and often just at the wind. When he was a puppy he looked like a beagle with massive feet. One day Mary was playing with Roger and stood him up and resting his two front legs over her knees. He just stood their content and resting from a long day of disturbing the neighbors. Bryce looked over and Roger and said, "You are Extremely Average." This made me chuckle. And such is the story of how I came to name my blog. It still makes me chuckle.
> 
> I have many interests beyond woodworking. I am also an avid photographer. I sell my works through half a dozen stock photo sites. In fact, 3 of the pictures from post #5 have already had sales. I am finding that while I am improving at using hand tools for woodworking, I am also making an equal measure of improvement in lighting still life images. It is also really handy to have all those lights around so that I never have trouble seeing what I am working on.
> 
> 
> 
> Another interest is reading. I love books. I like buying them, I like having them neatly displayed on my bookshelves, and most of all I like reading and rereading them. When a novel is so good that it is tough to put down and the mere act of finishing it makes you sad, as there isn't any more, that is quite a good book. I feel that way about, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', 'The Catcher in the Rye', and 'Snow Crash'. I also felt that way about Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy', and it was 1482 pages of very small type. A good book is a good thing indeed. I am sure someone famous said that, probably with a posh British accent.
> 
> So do I have anything substantive to say on the subject of my Woodworking Journey? No. Did I receive the bundle of woodworking DVD's and books I was expecting to find at my local office of post? No. Has this made me more bitter and angry than Rosie O'Donnell? No, that last one was a trick question, and I got it right, as it is not possible, though I am somewhat bitter. I guess I would feel better if I cut some tenons to fit through my through mortises. I think I will grab an apple and head back to the basement for some tenon cutting. Thanks for stopping in and giving me a read. I hope you weren't too disappointed.


Doug,

You are very perceptive. I have dreams of turning into a turner. I have dozens of ideas floating around my head, but I have other goals I wish to accomplish first. I assure you that when I get my first lathe, likely a small one to begin with, it will figure prominently in my blog…assuming anyone wants to read it after today.

Brian


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *It aint my Faulkner*
> 
> 
> 
> "Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it." -William Faulkner, Novel,1930 'As I Lay Dying'
> 
> I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it a great deal, especially after I became use to the style, called stream of consciousness, with which Faulkner penned his 'tour de force'. In just 6 weeks, while he was working a power plant, he wrote one of the great novels of the 20th century.
> 
> 'As I Stood Chiseling', by Louis 'The Ladies Man' Ban, is written in a similar, yet lesser known French literary style, Stream De Merde. The hallmarks of this style involves convoluted and often pointless rambling that have little bearing on the main plot or characters. Some would argue that Ban's chapter on the through mortise is one of the worst 73 pages in literary history, surpassed only by, Henry James Thornton's section about weasels and their dreams in his last book, 'Rodentia Musings' circa 1874. All arguments aside, it is certainly agreed upon by most scholars, that his main character is less interesting than peat moss. The worst point in the Homeresque length diatribe is when he writes, "As I stood chiseling my mind began to wonder, as it often does, to thoughts, not of woodworking, but of other less important things. Would a monkey enjoy cheese? I thought to myself, and if so, would said monkey prefer a finely aged Jarlsberger or sharp cheddar…which reminds me, I haven't sharpened my chisel in some time. I like sharpening my chisel. Why are British comedians able to make everything sound like a double entendre? How do they link any two words together and make them sound dirty, 'How about a tug and a whistle?' seems like something one might hear from their lips. Darn, I took too much from the side." This 'stream' continued on for what seemed like a fortnight.
> 
> I would imagine that many of you are thinking the same thing of today's blog and you would be right to do so. I considered writing my musing of minutia and telling you in great length about my through mortise cutting today. Actually, after I typed, 'I cut a couple of through mortises today', I had run out of material. It didn't seem lengthy enough for a blog post, so today I am going to tell you a bit about myself.
> 
> To begin with, and in the interest of full disclosure, my blog title is not my own creation. Though I think it is funny and quite clever, the phrase was first uttered in my proximity by Bryce Miller. Bryce is a wordsmith by training and the Executive Sports Editor for the Des Moines Register. If I were to improve my writing by 1000% it would still be only half as good as the pieces he has written. (Bryce = (Brian x 10)/.5)
> 
> My friend's fiancé had gotten a new puppy, his name was Roger. Roger was a Treeing Walker ******************** Hound. They have one function in life, from 8 am until 5pm, they bark. Roger barked at leaves, at passers bye, at walnut falling from the trees in the back yard, and often just at the wind. When he was a puppy he looked like a beagle with massive feet. One day Mary was playing with Roger and stood him up and resting his two front legs over her knees. He just stood their content and resting from a long day of disturbing the neighbors. Bryce looked over and Roger and said, "You are Extremely Average." This made me chuckle. And such is the story of how I came to name my blog. It still makes me chuckle.
> 
> I have many interests beyond woodworking. I am also an avid photographer. I sell my works through half a dozen stock photo sites. In fact, 3 of the pictures from post #5 have already had sales. I am finding that while I am improving at using hand tools for woodworking, I am also making an equal measure of improvement in lighting still life images. It is also really handy to have all those lights around so that I never have trouble seeing what I am working on.
> 
> 
> 
> Another interest is reading. I love books. I like buying them, I like having them neatly displayed on my bookshelves, and most of all I like reading and rereading them. When a novel is so good that it is tough to put down and the mere act of finishing it makes you sad, as there isn't any more, that is quite a good book. I feel that way about, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', 'The Catcher in the Rye', and 'Snow Crash'. I also felt that way about Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy', and it was 1482 pages of very small type. A good book is a good thing indeed. I am sure someone famous said that, probably with a posh British accent.
> 
> So do I have anything substantive to say on the subject of my Woodworking Journey? No. Did I receive the bundle of woodworking DVD's and books I was expecting to find at my local office of post? No. Has this made me more bitter and angry than Rosie O'Donnell? No, that last one was a trick question, and I got it right, as it is not possible, though I am somewhat bitter. I guess I would feel better if I cut some tenons to fit through my through mortises. I think I will grab an apple and head back to the basement for some tenon cutting. Thanks for stopping in and giving me a read. I hope you weren't too disappointed.


Brian,

Some of the things I like about this site are the occasional jokes, stories and meanderings that people throw out here. I would find it hard to believe that anyone who works with wood for any length of time does not start to find themselves turning into a part time philosopher. I think part of it is the fact that you can approach a board with menacing chisels and saws, put it on a 5 hp table saw and run it through a router, jointer, and planer. In the end, the wood is still boss and you can't make it do anything. You can work with it, you can shape it, but each piece has its own particulars that you have to work with, that is outside of your control.

Your meanderings are a treat and I don't think any of us feel disappointed. Please keep them coming.

David


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *It aint my Faulkner*
> 
> 
> 
> "Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it." -William Faulkner, Novel,1930 'As I Lay Dying'
> 
> I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it a great deal, especially after I became use to the style, called stream of consciousness, with which Faulkner penned his 'tour de force'. In just 6 weeks, while he was working a power plant, he wrote one of the great novels of the 20th century.
> 
> 'As I Stood Chiseling', by Louis 'The Ladies Man' Ban, is written in a similar, yet lesser known French literary style, Stream De Merde. The hallmarks of this style involves convoluted and often pointless rambling that have little bearing on the main plot or characters. Some would argue that Ban's chapter on the through mortise is one of the worst 73 pages in literary history, surpassed only by, Henry James Thornton's section about weasels and their dreams in his last book, 'Rodentia Musings' circa 1874. All arguments aside, it is certainly agreed upon by most scholars, that his main character is less interesting than peat moss. The worst point in the Homeresque length diatribe is when he writes, "As I stood chiseling my mind began to wonder, as it often does, to thoughts, not of woodworking, but of other less important things. Would a monkey enjoy cheese? I thought to myself, and if so, would said monkey prefer a finely aged Jarlsberger or sharp cheddar…which reminds me, I haven't sharpened my chisel in some time. I like sharpening my chisel. Why are British comedians able to make everything sound like a double entendre? How do they link any two words together and make them sound dirty, 'How about a tug and a whistle?' seems like something one might hear from their lips. Darn, I took too much from the side." This 'stream' continued on for what seemed like a fortnight.
> 
> I would imagine that many of you are thinking the same thing of today's blog and you would be right to do so. I considered writing my musing of minutia and telling you in great length about my through mortise cutting today. Actually, after I typed, 'I cut a couple of through mortises today', I had run out of material. It didn't seem lengthy enough for a blog post, so today I am going to tell you a bit about myself.
> 
> To begin with, and in the interest of full disclosure, my blog title is not my own creation. Though I think it is funny and quite clever, the phrase was first uttered in my proximity by Bryce Miller. Bryce is a wordsmith by training and the Executive Sports Editor for the Des Moines Register. If I were to improve my writing by 1000% it would still be only half as good as the pieces he has written. (Bryce = (Brian x 10)/.5)
> 
> My friend's fiancé had gotten a new puppy, his name was Roger. Roger was a Treeing Walker ******************** Hound. They have one function in life, from 8 am until 5pm, they bark. Roger barked at leaves, at passers bye, at walnut falling from the trees in the back yard, and often just at the wind. When he was a puppy he looked like a beagle with massive feet. One day Mary was playing with Roger and stood him up and resting his two front legs over her knees. He just stood their content and resting from a long day of disturbing the neighbors. Bryce looked over and Roger and said, "You are Extremely Average." This made me chuckle. And such is the story of how I came to name my blog. It still makes me chuckle.
> 
> I have many interests beyond woodworking. I am also an avid photographer. I sell my works through half a dozen stock photo sites. In fact, 3 of the pictures from post #5 have already had sales. I am finding that while I am improving at using hand tools for woodworking, I am also making an equal measure of improvement in lighting still life images. It is also really handy to have all those lights around so that I never have trouble seeing what I am working on.
> 
> 
> 
> Another interest is reading. I love books. I like buying them, I like having them neatly displayed on my bookshelves, and most of all I like reading and rereading them. When a novel is so good that it is tough to put down and the mere act of finishing it makes you sad, as there isn't any more, that is quite a good book. I feel that way about, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', 'The Catcher in the Rye', and 'Snow Crash'. I also felt that way about Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy', and it was 1482 pages of very small type. A good book is a good thing indeed. I am sure someone famous said that, probably with a posh British accent.
> 
> So do I have anything substantive to say on the subject of my Woodworking Journey? No. Did I receive the bundle of woodworking DVD's and books I was expecting to find at my local office of post? No. Has this made me more bitter and angry than Rosie O'Donnell? No, that last one was a trick question, and I got it right, as it is not possible, though I am somewhat bitter. I guess I would feel better if I cut some tenons to fit through my through mortises. I think I will grab an apple and head back to the basement for some tenon cutting. Thanks for stopping in and giving me a read. I hope you weren't too disappointed.


Mr. Candle,

I would like to be more enlightened by your photography skills. I have noticed them from the start, and am basically really jealous of them.

Yours,
Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *It aint my Faulkner*
> 
> 
> 
> "Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it." -William Faulkner, Novel,1930 'As I Lay Dying'
> 
> I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it a great deal, especially after I became use to the style, called stream of consciousness, with which Faulkner penned his 'tour de force'. In just 6 weeks, while he was working a power plant, he wrote one of the great novels of the 20th century.
> 
> 'As I Stood Chiseling', by Louis 'The Ladies Man' Ban, is written in a similar, yet lesser known French literary style, Stream De Merde. The hallmarks of this style involves convoluted and often pointless rambling that have little bearing on the main plot or characters. Some would argue that Ban's chapter on the through mortise is one of the worst 73 pages in literary history, surpassed only by, Henry James Thornton's section about weasels and their dreams in his last book, 'Rodentia Musings' circa 1874. All arguments aside, it is certainly agreed upon by most scholars, that his main character is less interesting than peat moss. The worst point in the Homeresque length diatribe is when he writes, "As I stood chiseling my mind began to wonder, as it often does, to thoughts, not of woodworking, but of other less important things. Would a monkey enjoy cheese? I thought to myself, and if so, would said monkey prefer a finely aged Jarlsberger or sharp cheddar…which reminds me, I haven't sharpened my chisel in some time. I like sharpening my chisel. Why are British comedians able to make everything sound like a double entendre? How do they link any two words together and make them sound dirty, 'How about a tug and a whistle?' seems like something one might hear from their lips. Darn, I took too much from the side." This 'stream' continued on for what seemed like a fortnight.
> 
> I would imagine that many of you are thinking the same thing of today's blog and you would be right to do so. I considered writing my musing of minutia and telling you in great length about my through mortise cutting today. Actually, after I typed, 'I cut a couple of through mortises today', I had run out of material. It didn't seem lengthy enough for a blog post, so today I am going to tell you a bit about myself.
> 
> To begin with, and in the interest of full disclosure, my blog title is not my own creation. Though I think it is funny and quite clever, the phrase was first uttered in my proximity by Bryce Miller. Bryce is a wordsmith by training and the Executive Sports Editor for the Des Moines Register. If I were to improve my writing by 1000% it would still be only half as good as the pieces he has written. (Bryce = (Brian x 10)/.5)
> 
> My friend's fiancé had gotten a new puppy, his name was Roger. Roger was a Treeing Walker ******************** Hound. They have one function in life, from 8 am until 5pm, they bark. Roger barked at leaves, at passers bye, at walnut falling from the trees in the back yard, and often just at the wind. When he was a puppy he looked like a beagle with massive feet. One day Mary was playing with Roger and stood him up and resting his two front legs over her knees. He just stood their content and resting from a long day of disturbing the neighbors. Bryce looked over and Roger and said, "You are Extremely Average." This made me chuckle. And such is the story of how I came to name my blog. It still makes me chuckle.
> 
> I have many interests beyond woodworking. I am also an avid photographer. I sell my works through half a dozen stock photo sites. In fact, 3 of the pictures from post #5 have already had sales. I am finding that while I am improving at using hand tools for woodworking, I am also making an equal measure of improvement in lighting still life images. It is also really handy to have all those lights around so that I never have trouble seeing what I am working on.
> 
> 
> 
> Another interest is reading. I love books. I like buying them, I like having them neatly displayed on my bookshelves, and most of all I like reading and rereading them. When a novel is so good that it is tough to put down and the mere act of finishing it makes you sad, as there isn't any more, that is quite a good book. I feel that way about, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', 'The Catcher in the Rye', and 'Snow Crash'. I also felt that way about Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy', and it was 1482 pages of very small type. A good book is a good thing indeed. I am sure someone famous said that, probably with a posh British accent.
> 
> So do I have anything substantive to say on the subject of my Woodworking Journey? No. Did I receive the bundle of woodworking DVD's and books I was expecting to find at my local office of post? No. Has this made me more bitter and angry than Rosie O'Donnell? No, that last one was a trick question, and I got it right, as it is not possible, though I am somewhat bitter. I guess I would feel better if I cut some tenons to fit through my through mortises. I think I will grab an apple and head back to the basement for some tenon cutting. Thanks for stopping in and giving me a read. I hope you weren't too disappointed.


SPalm,

Perhaps I will do a blog post talking about how I light my photos and then process them in Photoshop. The really good photos, I might spend a couple of hours on, between shooting and processing. I am going to add that to my list of blog ideas. What do you think?


----------



## JJohnston

Ecocandle said:


> *It aint my Faulkner*
> 
> 
> 
> "Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it." -William Faulkner, Novel,1930 'As I Lay Dying'
> 
> I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it a great deal, especially after I became use to the style, called stream of consciousness, with which Faulkner penned his 'tour de force'. In just 6 weeks, while he was working a power plant, he wrote one of the great novels of the 20th century.
> 
> 'As I Stood Chiseling', by Louis 'The Ladies Man' Ban, is written in a similar, yet lesser known French literary style, Stream De Merde. The hallmarks of this style involves convoluted and often pointless rambling that have little bearing on the main plot or characters. Some would argue that Ban's chapter on the through mortise is one of the worst 73 pages in literary history, surpassed only by, Henry James Thornton's section about weasels and their dreams in his last book, 'Rodentia Musings' circa 1874. All arguments aside, it is certainly agreed upon by most scholars, that his main character is less interesting than peat moss. The worst point in the Homeresque length diatribe is when he writes, "As I stood chiseling my mind began to wonder, as it often does, to thoughts, not of woodworking, but of other less important things. Would a monkey enjoy cheese? I thought to myself, and if so, would said monkey prefer a finely aged Jarlsberger or sharp cheddar…which reminds me, I haven't sharpened my chisel in some time. I like sharpening my chisel. Why are British comedians able to make everything sound like a double entendre? How do they link any two words together and make them sound dirty, 'How about a tug and a whistle?' seems like something one might hear from their lips. Darn, I took too much from the side." This 'stream' continued on for what seemed like a fortnight.
> 
> I would imagine that many of you are thinking the same thing of today's blog and you would be right to do so. I considered writing my musing of minutia and telling you in great length about my through mortise cutting today. Actually, after I typed, 'I cut a couple of through mortises today', I had run out of material. It didn't seem lengthy enough for a blog post, so today I am going to tell you a bit about myself.
> 
> To begin with, and in the interest of full disclosure, my blog title is not my own creation. Though I think it is funny and quite clever, the phrase was first uttered in my proximity by Bryce Miller. Bryce is a wordsmith by training and the Executive Sports Editor for the Des Moines Register. If I were to improve my writing by 1000% it would still be only half as good as the pieces he has written. (Bryce = (Brian x 10)/.5)
> 
> My friend's fiancé had gotten a new puppy, his name was Roger. Roger was a Treeing Walker ******************** Hound. They have one function in life, from 8 am until 5pm, they bark. Roger barked at leaves, at passers bye, at walnut falling from the trees in the back yard, and often just at the wind. When he was a puppy he looked like a beagle with massive feet. One day Mary was playing with Roger and stood him up and resting his two front legs over her knees. He just stood their content and resting from a long day of disturbing the neighbors. Bryce looked over and Roger and said, "You are Extremely Average." This made me chuckle. And such is the story of how I came to name my blog. It still makes me chuckle.
> 
> I have many interests beyond woodworking. I am also an avid photographer. I sell my works through half a dozen stock photo sites. In fact, 3 of the pictures from post #5 have already had sales. I am finding that while I am improving at using hand tools for woodworking, I am also making an equal measure of improvement in lighting still life images. It is also really handy to have all those lights around so that I never have trouble seeing what I am working on.
> 
> 
> 
> Another interest is reading. I love books. I like buying them, I like having them neatly displayed on my bookshelves, and most of all I like reading and rereading them. When a novel is so good that it is tough to put down and the mere act of finishing it makes you sad, as there isn't any more, that is quite a good book. I feel that way about, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', 'The Catcher in the Rye', and 'Snow Crash'. I also felt that way about Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy', and it was 1482 pages of very small type. A good book is a good thing indeed. I am sure someone famous said that, probably with a posh British accent.
> 
> So do I have anything substantive to say on the subject of my Woodworking Journey? No. Did I receive the bundle of woodworking DVD's and books I was expecting to find at my local office of post? No. Has this made me more bitter and angry than Rosie O'Donnell? No, that last one was a trick question, and I got it right, as it is not possible, though I am somewhat bitter. I guess I would feel better if I cut some tenons to fit through my through mortises. I think I will grab an apple and head back to the basement for some tenon cutting. Thanks for stopping in and giving me a read. I hope you weren't too disappointed.


I always approach stream-of-consciousness writing leerily. My reading lobe was permanently injured by Melville's ramblings about "what is 'white'?" in "Moby Dick".


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *It aint my Faulkner*
> 
> 
> 
> "Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it." -William Faulkner, Novel,1930 'As I Lay Dying'
> 
> I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it a great deal, especially after I became use to the style, called stream of consciousness, with which Faulkner penned his 'tour de force'. In just 6 weeks, while he was working a power plant, he wrote one of the great novels of the 20th century.
> 
> 'As I Stood Chiseling', by Louis 'The Ladies Man' Ban, is written in a similar, yet lesser known French literary style, Stream De Merde. The hallmarks of this style involves convoluted and often pointless rambling that have little bearing on the main plot or characters. Some would argue that Ban's chapter on the through mortise is one of the worst 73 pages in literary history, surpassed only by, Henry James Thornton's section about weasels and their dreams in his last book, 'Rodentia Musings' circa 1874. All arguments aside, it is certainly agreed upon by most scholars, that his main character is less interesting than peat moss. The worst point in the Homeresque length diatribe is when he writes, "As I stood chiseling my mind began to wonder, as it often does, to thoughts, not of woodworking, but of other less important things. Would a monkey enjoy cheese? I thought to myself, and if so, would said monkey prefer a finely aged Jarlsberger or sharp cheddar…which reminds me, I haven't sharpened my chisel in some time. I like sharpening my chisel. Why are British comedians able to make everything sound like a double entendre? How do they link any two words together and make them sound dirty, 'How about a tug and a whistle?' seems like something one might hear from their lips. Darn, I took too much from the side." This 'stream' continued on for what seemed like a fortnight.
> 
> I would imagine that many of you are thinking the same thing of today's blog and you would be right to do so. I considered writing my musing of minutia and telling you in great length about my through mortise cutting today. Actually, after I typed, 'I cut a couple of through mortises today', I had run out of material. It didn't seem lengthy enough for a blog post, so today I am going to tell you a bit about myself.
> 
> To begin with, and in the interest of full disclosure, my blog title is not my own creation. Though I think it is funny and quite clever, the phrase was first uttered in my proximity by Bryce Miller. Bryce is a wordsmith by training and the Executive Sports Editor for the Des Moines Register. If I were to improve my writing by 1000% it would still be only half as good as the pieces he has written. (Bryce = (Brian x 10)/.5)
> 
> My friend's fiancé had gotten a new puppy, his name was Roger. Roger was a Treeing Walker ******************** Hound. They have one function in life, from 8 am until 5pm, they bark. Roger barked at leaves, at passers bye, at walnut falling from the trees in the back yard, and often just at the wind. When he was a puppy he looked like a beagle with massive feet. One day Mary was playing with Roger and stood him up and resting his two front legs over her knees. He just stood their content and resting from a long day of disturbing the neighbors. Bryce looked over and Roger and said, "You are Extremely Average." This made me chuckle. And such is the story of how I came to name my blog. It still makes me chuckle.
> 
> I have many interests beyond woodworking. I am also an avid photographer. I sell my works through half a dozen stock photo sites. In fact, 3 of the pictures from post #5 have already had sales. I am finding that while I am improving at using hand tools for woodworking, I am also making an equal measure of improvement in lighting still life images. It is also really handy to have all those lights around so that I never have trouble seeing what I am working on.
> 
> 
> 
> Another interest is reading. I love books. I like buying them, I like having them neatly displayed on my bookshelves, and most of all I like reading and rereading them. When a novel is so good that it is tough to put down and the mere act of finishing it makes you sad, as there isn't any more, that is quite a good book. I feel that way about, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', 'The Catcher in the Rye', and 'Snow Crash'. I also felt that way about Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy', and it was 1482 pages of very small type. A good book is a good thing indeed. I am sure someone famous said that, probably with a posh British accent.
> 
> So do I have anything substantive to say on the subject of my Woodworking Journey? No. Did I receive the bundle of woodworking DVD's and books I was expecting to find at my local office of post? No. Has this made me more bitter and angry than Rosie O'Donnell? No, that last one was a trick question, and I got it right, as it is not possible, though I am somewhat bitter. I guess I would feel better if I cut some tenons to fit through my through mortises. I think I will grab an apple and head back to the basement for some tenon cutting. Thanks for stopping in and giving me a read. I hope you weren't too disappointed.


I hope that today's drivel didn't cause any permanent damage. I probably should have included a disclaimer. Darn.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *It aint my Faulkner*
> 
> 
> 
> "Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it." -William Faulkner, Novel,1930 'As I Lay Dying'
> 
> I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it a great deal, especially after I became use to the style, called stream of consciousness, with which Faulkner penned his 'tour de force'. In just 6 weeks, while he was working a power plant, he wrote one of the great novels of the 20th century.
> 
> 'As I Stood Chiseling', by Louis 'The Ladies Man' Ban, is written in a similar, yet lesser known French literary style, Stream De Merde. The hallmarks of this style involves convoluted and often pointless rambling that have little bearing on the main plot or characters. Some would argue that Ban's chapter on the through mortise is one of the worst 73 pages in literary history, surpassed only by, Henry James Thornton's section about weasels and their dreams in his last book, 'Rodentia Musings' circa 1874. All arguments aside, it is certainly agreed upon by most scholars, that his main character is less interesting than peat moss. The worst point in the Homeresque length diatribe is when he writes, "As I stood chiseling my mind began to wonder, as it often does, to thoughts, not of woodworking, but of other less important things. Would a monkey enjoy cheese? I thought to myself, and if so, would said monkey prefer a finely aged Jarlsberger or sharp cheddar…which reminds me, I haven't sharpened my chisel in some time. I like sharpening my chisel. Why are British comedians able to make everything sound like a double entendre? How do they link any two words together and make them sound dirty, 'How about a tug and a whistle?' seems like something one might hear from their lips. Darn, I took too much from the side." This 'stream' continued on for what seemed like a fortnight.
> 
> I would imagine that many of you are thinking the same thing of today's blog and you would be right to do so. I considered writing my musing of minutia and telling you in great length about my through mortise cutting today. Actually, after I typed, 'I cut a couple of through mortises today', I had run out of material. It didn't seem lengthy enough for a blog post, so today I am going to tell you a bit about myself.
> 
> To begin with, and in the interest of full disclosure, my blog title is not my own creation. Though I think it is funny and quite clever, the phrase was first uttered in my proximity by Bryce Miller. Bryce is a wordsmith by training and the Executive Sports Editor for the Des Moines Register. If I were to improve my writing by 1000% it would still be only half as good as the pieces he has written. (Bryce = (Brian x 10)/.5)
> 
> My friend's fiancé had gotten a new puppy, his name was Roger. Roger was a Treeing Walker ******************** Hound. They have one function in life, from 8 am until 5pm, they bark. Roger barked at leaves, at passers bye, at walnut falling from the trees in the back yard, and often just at the wind. When he was a puppy he looked like a beagle with massive feet. One day Mary was playing with Roger and stood him up and resting his two front legs over her knees. He just stood their content and resting from a long day of disturbing the neighbors. Bryce looked over and Roger and said, "You are Extremely Average." This made me chuckle. And such is the story of how I came to name my blog. It still makes me chuckle.
> 
> I have many interests beyond woodworking. I am also an avid photographer. I sell my works through half a dozen stock photo sites. In fact, 3 of the pictures from post #5 have already had sales. I am finding that while I am improving at using hand tools for woodworking, I am also making an equal measure of improvement in lighting still life images. It is also really handy to have all those lights around so that I never have trouble seeing what I am working on.
> 
> 
> 
> Another interest is reading. I love books. I like buying them, I like having them neatly displayed on my bookshelves, and most of all I like reading and rereading them. When a novel is so good that it is tough to put down and the mere act of finishing it makes you sad, as there isn't any more, that is quite a good book. I feel that way about, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', 'The Catcher in the Rye', and 'Snow Crash'. I also felt that way about Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy', and it was 1482 pages of very small type. A good book is a good thing indeed. I am sure someone famous said that, probably with a posh British accent.
> 
> So do I have anything substantive to say on the subject of my Woodworking Journey? No. Did I receive the bundle of woodworking DVD's and books I was expecting to find at my local office of post? No. Has this made me more bitter and angry than Rosie O'Donnell? No, that last one was a trick question, and I got it right, as it is not possible, though I am somewhat bitter. I guess I would feel better if I cut some tenons to fit through my through mortises. I think I will grab an apple and head back to the basement for some tenon cutting. Thanks for stopping in and giving me a read. I hope you weren't too disappointed.


books and photography … oh my two loves! 
oh and philosophizing .. my third love … 


Thanks for the meandering.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Dumb Mistake*



It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.

The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.

Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.



So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.



I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.

My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together. 
By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.

The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


I always believe the things that I make from wood are special, even if I hate them by the time they are done and have to give them away as quick as possible so as not to be constantly reminded of the flaws and mistakes.

Maybe it is a god complex of some type-something that was alive, that subsequently died or was killed, comes alive again in a new form through the work of my hands! I just don't get the same sort of charge from my paintings or other creations.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


As logical as you are Brian, you better get used to "stupid" blunders in this hobby  The key is to try and not make the blunder twice in a row. Left, Right, Front, Back, Top, Bottom are probably the leading causes of most mistakes in the field. When you add compound miters, the router table (face goes down instead of up), and other tools to your workshop, it gets even worse. For what it is worth, I will share a tip with you I saw on a video that helps me (which is good because I need all the help I can get). I use blue painters tape, so as not to mark the boards too heaviliy with a pencil and, before I even start further cuts, I lay the boards down on the table and label them with front, back, left, right, etc. If I am working from a diagram, I will add the part number in the middle. It is easier to catch when the boards are laid out in front of you.

In regards to your saw work, great job! Mortise and tenon joinery are the most difficult and it looks like your mortises are really nicely cut. I know you have been spending alot of time getting familiar with your hand tools and it looks like that time is paying off for you. You have every right to feel good about what you are putting together.

And, just one more additional thought. When I finish a project, I think about the piece that I had dreamed and the piece that I had feared to create. If my results fall somewhere in between, then I am doing ok.

Congrats on your progress,

David


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


Now you know Brian why even brain surgeons, rocket scientists and analysts like yourself are drawn to woodworking. It's a bit of a challenge because there are so many small things that can go wrong. In lieu of school we have to learn by experience, and that means making mistakes. Those mistakes used to really get my goat, but now I've learned to avoid the worst ones and repair the others. I suggest you just revel in your misadventures and have a chuckle when you make the kind of mistakes shown here. Woodworking has a humbling effect on folks and that can be a positive thing. As David mentioned, marking to identify components mating joints, etc. is a very good habit. I find myself doing it more and more as my skill progresses. I think you will continue to make mistakes as long as you are trying new things, as we all do. We do it until we get it and then move on to the next set of challenges and errors. That's why I love woodworking. I am constantly learning something new and improving my skills. In spite of the error on the piece shown, it looks to me like good work, and you were able to fix the little mix-up.


----------



## asthesawturns

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


Judging from your picture, you are human. Every project I do, I misuse , or mismark, or miscut something. It is usually immediately after a triumphant moment. We let our gaurd down and rejoice over our progress. "Oh look I have mastered a new technique, now let me screw up something else" It is these challenges and victories followed by still more challenges that keeps us coming back. It is the sill stuff that makes you want to throw stuff. The best course of action (IMO) is to step back, ascertain the problem, laugh at ourselves, ascertain the solution and carry on. The only way to be perfect, is to lock the "lawyer Murphy" in a cell with a dozen fecal matter tossing monkeys.
Congratulations on learning, and progressing.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


reminds me of when I cut something on the wrong end of a piece of wood. For the next piece I kept saying to myself, "Go slowly… measure twice… think.. go slowly…. " I then slowly and carefully repeated the original error.

sigh.


----------



## LeChuck

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


I am of scientific/math background, and work as a developer, and I make silly mistakes all the time, for many things. Call it absent-mindedness I guess. I find that I have to make myself try to only think of the task at hand, or even the one single part of the task, or my brain starts wandering and thinking of many things at once. On the other hand, it's moments where my mind is wandering where I get my best ideas.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


The nice thing about a black rubber mallet is that when it leaves a mark, you know which piece you hit! On the other hand, if you wish to whack sans marks, you can always use a block of scrap wood between your mallet and the object you wish to strike.


----------



## noknot

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood.  I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


As you can see by the responses wood working is not a perfect science. Its not a perfect medium and the conditions where most of us work are not perfect. With all that said if the end result of your work isnt perfect then it fits perfectly in a world that isnt perfect. So make bookcases that lean every once in a while after you get done cussing call your friends over to laugh at you it feels great.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


Speaking of friends, I have two that I utilize after a woodworking project. I am very close friends with a husband and wife couple. I approach the wife first, and she says "Oh that is beautiful, I can tell you put so much thought and work into this…" This helps my wounded ego even though I know she will say that to everything. Then I bite the bullet, seek for truth, and show it to her husband. "Were you drunk?!" The lie keeps me going, the truth helps me become a better woodworker. It isn't always that cruel  But I know better than to show him something that he knows I could do better on.

I think everyone needs that type of input. First the cushion, then the blow 

David


----------



## Eagle1

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


I was told one time that people learn 2 ways, by being showed and by doing. I personally learn by doing. My bigest problem is my short term memory is hosed. ( that comes with the territory with my disability ). I have been learning to put stuff right back where it belongs after I use it. But back to learning, I am getting back into woodworking, because I like working with my hands. I have started with small things bandsaw boxes. And now i am trying to work my way up to other things. My shop is pretty much complete at least with the big items anyway. ( Until something else comes up that I think I need) LOL. Now just needing the small stuff clamps, clamps and more clamps you can never have enough. Kinda like screwdrivers. Anyway good luck on your learning. My messups go the the fireplace to stay warm. LOL


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


I have adopted the practice of modeling in SketchUp everything I do, even the simplest things. To me its like building things twice, but the first time it didn't waste any wood.

d


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand.  I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


I see that I am not alone in my blunders. I appreciate all of you sharing your own thoughts on the subject of errors and anger. I really liked David's 2nd comment. Brilliant!

I guess I just need to keep practicing…and to also find a married couple with a wife who has a propensitity to see only the beauty….wait a minutes…that is why I have Lumberjocks. I guess I am ok.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


I have adopted the practice of modeling in SketchUp everything I do, even the simplest things. To me its like building things twice, but the first time it didn't waste any wood.

d


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


Brian, the only people who don't make mistakes are those who do nothing…why not make a wooden mallet or mallets. Its a great use for scrap hardwood and size etc are usually trial and error so you don't have any reason to be frustrated.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


Oh that is a good idea. Maybe I will make a wooden mallet. That might be fun.


----------



## HoosierJoe

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


I'm with Don Butler…..Anytime I'm wanting to make something that involves expensive hardwoods, I almost always sketch it, and do a mock-up in pine first….Funny thing, the pine pieces usually sell sooner than the hardwoods! Who'd a thunk it? lol


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Dumb Mistake*
> 
> 
> 
> It just makes me so darn angry. The life I have led has been one of logic. I am the son of a mathematician and much of my adult working years have been spent as an analyst. When I make a dumb mistake it grates on my nerves worse than finger nails on a chalk board. Now I don't have delusions that I am going to progress in woodworking mistake free. Quite the contrary, I see my mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I have learned a lot.
> 
> The angst I am feeling come from not only making a mistake, but spending a inordinate amount of time baffled by what was going on. I stood in my little workshop, no doubt, with a quizzical look on my face and just kept looking at the 4 pieces of wood. I had the two bottom feet and the two legs in hand. I had been careful to label each piece along the way. I am making 2 saw horses. So I labeled the feet, right foot 1, left foot 1, right foot 2, left foot 2, and so on and so forth. Because I am not able to cut perfect mortises and tenons, I felt it was important to make sure that all the pieces fit together as they are labeled. The slight differences mean that the parts won't work as well, if they are interchanged.
> 
> Seems reasonable doesn't it. My task today was to cut the tenons on the stretchers. I had cut the through mortises in the legs yesterday. I cut the tenons and though they are not perfect, they are better than any that I have cut before. Additionally, the cutting was much easier using my two new Japanese hand saws. I have read that it takes a bit of practice to get good with them, and that does seem to be the case, but with each cut, I get a little bit more accurate. The stretcher needs a tenon cut on each end, so I labeled the sides, after I marked them, rl rs and rl ls. The moment that the second side was marked, an alarm should have gone off. It did not.
> 
> 
> 
> So I took my stretcher downstairs and cut it. After the cutting, I wanted to assemble the feet, legs and stretcher, so that I might photograph it and write my nightly musings. It was the point at which I began assembling, that my brain began to become befuddled. Try saying "Brian's Brain Began to Become Befuddled" four times quickly. I digress.
> 
> 
> 
> I grabbed the feet and pounded the legs into them, using my old black rubber mallet, which chooses to leave marks on anything it touches, and I am quite sure, on some things it doesn't. Obviously I need to make a mallet purchase in the near future, but that isn't my point. I grabbed rl rs and pounded it into the right Leg. Then I grabbed rl ls and pounded it into the left leg. I don't know if you see the problem yet. I certainly didn't. The more I tried to make things fit right, the angrier I got. I was fairly disgusted by the time I caught the problem.
> 
> My labeling was Right Leg Right Side and Right Leg Left Side. I had used the right leg from both saw horses to mark my stretcher. This was the silliest mistake. A trained Angolan Wrestling Monkey wouldn't have struggled as much as I did with this one stretcher. For the next few minutes I was a little bit fussy. I then swapped out the left foot for the right foot from the second horse, and everything went together.
> By the time I had finished photographing, my fuming ceased. I looked over my progress and though I could detect a myriad of mistakes and numerous black marks, I still felt a little bit of happiness welling up from deep in my innards. I have aspirations to create masterworks one day and my first saw horses are not masterworks, but what they are, they are among my first creations. That makes them special. I hope that when I am putting together cabinets or building dining room sets, that I don't forget these first little projects. That the tiny joys from doing something I love are never taken for granted. I pray that I always remember that, an hour in the workshop is to be treasured, even if it makes me a bit fussy.
> 
> The next step is to cut kerfs in the tenons, so that I can wedge a hunk of wood in there to make the fit tight. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.


Good advice. I am so far from the point in my woodworking journey, where I would sell something. To even view that day on the horizon, I would need to stand on the shoulders of giants. But your point is well taken. Thanks for taking the time to chime in.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Gnashing Teeth*



Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.

The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)



Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.



In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.



The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.

Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
…so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."

[Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


----------



## Jimthecarver

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


I will say I do enjoy reading your blogs. They make me smile and capture my thoughts.
Well written.


----------



## chuck66

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


That story is completely made-up - who would forgo World of War Craft?


----------



## gizmodyne

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


I ordered something on Jan. 1. They finally shipped it Jan. 11. It arrived here in California Jan. 15. I think they let the hand tools guys handle shipping.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


I know that I have waited as long as 6 months for "the check thats in the mail"


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


rtb,

I think the problem is that they don't think there is anything you can do…being a cat and all. 

Brian


----------



## rob2

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


You guys are really funny.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


I want it, and I want it NOW! Now what was it I wanted? Oh well, can't remember but at least I will save some money. I'm glad David that you are filling the blogasphere with your amusing observations. We all need a laugh after our last failed projects.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


How long ago did this happen? I am beginning to suspect that it was the blogs that was haunting the Winchester house. Someone had to wait a year for their rifle because they could only afford pony express?

David


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


Weird, my first wife ran off with some chick from Vassar too. 
Small world.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


great blog
fantastic photos! 
thank you


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Gnashing Teeth*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I drove across Martelle, to the office of post, where I again stared into a cubbyhole filled with emptiness. No DVDs and books for me, in the 'Soup Nazi' voice, ran through my head. After coming home, through rush hour traffic, I sat in my comfy green computer chair, defeated. I know from my days of working in the marketing department at GEICO that the travel time for a piece of mail, from anywhere city, in the continental U.S., to the hamlet of someplace, takes no longer than 6 business days. Iowa sits smack dab in the middle of all the anywheres and someplaces in the country, so I figured 3. Today is day 6 and unbeknownst to The Taunton Press; they hang precariously on the precipice of a cliff, overlooking a valley filled with a pack of angry blog.
> 
> The thing about a pack of wild blog, with their teeth gnashing while they run amok, is that they can't be controlled. An angry blog will, given a chance, eat it weight in bad publicity within minutes. And don't even get me started about their breeding. They make rabbits look like vestal virgins. If you find an angry blog, after a meal of 1000 words of vitriol and spite, it will be very amorous towards others of its ilk. It will seek out other blogs to mate with. Twitter is an incredible breeding ground for these creatures. It seems that everyone in the world is trying to fix these little fuzzy and ravenous creatures up, just to watch them multiply. And don't even try to herd them; they are as likely to be driven in a single direction as a gaggle of cats. (I realize that it is geese that are a gaggle, but I am exercising my legal right to poetic license.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now some of you may not have heard of these beasts. Perhaps you know of them by their Latin name, Blogus Rantopotamus? Whether you have heard of them or not, it is wise to know they are out there. To truly understand the Blogus Rantopotamus, one must know of their origin. They are a fairly new breed of animal, though some would call them a plague or a virus. The story of their origins is unclear and you may well find many different version of how they came to be. This is my favorite.
> 
> 
> 
> In a warehouse in Poughkeepsie NY, an aging accountant sat at his desk. He had studied cost accounting in school and married his high school sweetheart, who attended Vassar. She left him after three years, for a woman she met at a poetry slam, and since that day, he has been bitter and angry. This is important because on this day, about seven and a half years ago, a new shipping clerk was preparing a box of miniature replica blunder busses for shipping. The accountant screamed, "What are you doing?!" at the young man, a recent college graduate in computer science, who hadn't really bothered to find a real job yet. I was getting this order ready to go out. "When did they order it?", "The order just came in on from the website (www.blunderbusRus.com), if I hurry I can get it out tonight." The accountant screamed louder, "Did they pay for express shipping and handling?!", "No, but I am not sending it express, I am sending it through the regular mail." The clerk said sheepishly. "Where do they live?!", the accountant bellowed, though he knew the answer. "They live in New Jersey. If it goes out tonight, they will get it tomorrow or the next day." He responded, trying to understand why this was a big deal. "We don't want the customer to get them quickly, because if we do that, then nobody will pay for express shipping and handling! Are you an idiot?" said the accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The clerk had studied TOC (Theory of Constraints) in college and knew that the totally variable costs were fixed and that his reasoning was wrong. He knew that in the long run a happy customer was better than earning an extra 2 dollars by making them think they needed express. But he also knew that if he refused to do as the accountant said, he might have to start looking for a real job, and he didn't want to do that before the summer was over. So he went home and later that night, in his mother's basement, next to the washer and dryer, he forwent World of War Craft and anonymously unleashed the first beast on the world. Unfortunately for the accountant, the blog reproduced through mitosis and the hungry pack of blogs eventually found him and ate his face off.
> 
> Tune in tomorrow when the blog either be an angry rant at Taunton Press or a lengthy description of my own foibles…and now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
> …so in conclusion, I would like to say, "I love woodworking."
> 
> [Editors Note: An angry Blogus Rantopotamus has yet to be photographed. So we went with flowers.]


Is someone taunted by Taunton?

Remember what Han Solo said about Tauntons - "And I thought they smelled bad on the OUTSIDE!"


----------



## Ecocandle

*I have just two questions*



"We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
-Jim Rohn

I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:

Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?

You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]

The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.



Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.



The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.



So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.



I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


In regards to question number one…. I usually go to Amazon.com for Taunton press books. Amazon has most of them in stock, they are usually a little cheaper than dealing directly with the press, and most of them will ship free if I make a purchase over 25 bucks. Plus, I usually get my shipments from Amazon pretty quickly.

In regards to question number two, I believe that most people here think not only in terms of woodworking, but in community. The blogs are used as a way of sharing our lives completely with each other. So I would day, go ahead, show the process. Members here are engaged in other hobbies as well. And, it is always nice to know how our work might be displayed in a method that is higher quality.

David


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


Thanks for another enjoyable read. It looks like you are learning some good hand tool skills.

Now to the test questions:
(1) I am with with David. I have only every ordered from Taunton press via Amazon.
(2) You mentioned that your father was a mathematician, so the answer is (e^(i*pi) + 2). Believe it or not, you can type this into Google and will get the right answer.


----------



## Fireball

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


I too have ordered Taunton stuff through Amazon. Quick shipping to ATL. Incidentally, you should check out the wood whisperer for any future DVD orders. He's a cool guys and his videos and DVDs are great.

I'm not much into photography, so that wouldn't tickle my fancy.

Incidentally, very nice job on the tenon! You have seemed to learn quickly the pleasure that comes from using a fine tool.


----------



## Beginningwoodworker

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


Nice read.


----------



## Jimthecarver

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


Hey why not?
I know my photos could use a little help and any help would be appreciated in that area. So I say heck yeah fire away.
Oh and very good luck on the balding fetish thing….lol


----------



## beckerswoodworks

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


Wonderful Blog as always. I would be very interested in a blog on how you take your photos. I've been having a very difficult time getting good shots of my own work.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


I'd be very interested in your lighting setup. My wife is the photographer in the family, but she won't let me touch any of her neat stuff because she's afraid that it will end up looking like some of my tools. Her clients would wonder about that, I think.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


A lighting blog is most welcome Brian. I haven't given much thought before as to why we enjoy reading about others woodworking work and progress, but I just realized that it must be that it allows us to relive our own small triumphs and despair as we progressed. Besides we often get a different perspective by seeing how others do things. So the newbies are the past and the masters are the future (who am I kidding?) I also really liked that quotation from Jim Rohn. It looks like you are doing quite well with those tenons. It won't be long before you are doing tutorial blogs to show others how to do it. I liked your comment on watching the blade reflection. I would never have thought of that. Thanks much for the post


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


1: haven't made such a purchase so I don't know.
2. Yes. 
We've had photo-related blogs in the past (that isn't to say that you don't need to do one - it means that photo tips are welcomed!
As an amateur photographer I always enjoy reading tips and tricks by fellow flashers (ha - I just thought of that and had to say it).

Also, it makes my heart feel good to feel the joy you are experiencing through your woodworking journey. Your positive energy is rippling outwards, around the world! Pretty cool. Pretty powerful stuff.

 Thanks! 
Debbie


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


Debbie….and we never knew ! Brian, put it out there people who are not intrested won't read it and those of us that are..will. and if we still have questions Kacy can always ask his wife.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *I have just two questions*
> 
> 
> 
> "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment"
> -Jim Rohn
> 
> I thought I would spend the day continuing to work on my Krenov saw horses, since I didn't have any new DVDs or books on woodworking. For those that stopped by hoping to see a rant about John Lively's company The Taunton Press, you will be disappointed to know that I am too happy today to gripe about their inefficiency. Because Monday is a holiday, I won't get them before Tuesday, but that is ok, and I am not going to let it ruin my weekend. There is just too much woodworking to do, to be cranky. Of course, I may be really full of rancor on Tuesday, so today's question of the day is:
> 
> Have you ordered from The Taunton Press and how did they do in shipping the products to you?
> 
> You may post your answers in the comments, or if you prefer, you may send them to me directly. [email protected]
> 
> The first step today, was to cut the tenons in the stretcher for the second saw horse. I move at a glacial pace with my projects. With each micro step I try my best to do better than the step before. To date, I have cut 3 practice tenons and 8 real tenons, the last 2 were better than any of the ones before. Today's two tenons are better still. The journey is one of exploration and discovery. Today I discovered that in order to cut a straight kerf with my Japanese hand saw, I needed to watch the reflection in the blade. Once I started to focus on the reflection I improved markedly over my previous attempts.
> 
> 
> 
> Not only were the tenons better than before, they took less time. With each cut I become more comfortable with my saw. It is clear to me that the $100.00 Dozuki saw is worth every penny. The blade is sharp, cuts easily and if it is started on the right path, once it gets into the cut, it will continue to cut straight. It also cuts very quickly. I am completely sold on Japanese hand saws.
> 
> 
> 
> The day did not only yield a triumph in tenons, but an additional measure of success in photography. I never imagined that I would spend so much time photographing the minutia of my progress or that this constant work would make me better at lighting my subjects, but this seems to be the reality of it all. I would estimate I spent close to an hour shooting my tenons today. To be honest, I find joy in nearly everything around me, including, the ability to ask TWO questions of the day. Yes, I have that sort of power. It is intoxicating.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is my second question: Would anyone be interested in a blog piece about how I shoot, light, and process my blog shots? Feel free to answer with a Yes or No, or a Oui ou Non, or even a Si o No. I will actually accept any language, as I can always look it up online. I do love Babel Fish. Of course, if you prefer to give a lengthy answer, please limit it to English or French, and include a picture of your incredibly attractive, single, and female cousin with a middle aged balding men fetish.
> 
> 
> 
> I would also like to take a moment to thank those of you who have been reading my blog. The support and feedback has been wonderful. Today's piece represents the first day in my second fortnight and I am truly loving the ride. I hope you aren't too disappointed at the lack of a rant today. Enjoy your day practicing the discipline of woodworking.


1. I ordered the back issue DVD. It arrived in a timely manner. At least I think so. I never count days and usually don't get curious until a few weeks have gone by.

2. Yes


----------



## Ecocandle

*I Will Continue To Practice*



What drives your woodworking?

I just want to be great at it. I have no idea if I will make furniture, turn bowls, chisel sculptures, or build tiny pieces of art. Each time I see something beautiful that is what I want to do. Woodworking has so many paths.

It is easy to recognize that dabbling in everything will lead to a mastery of nothing. The importance of focus keeps me on my path of discovery. When the temptation to stray pokes its head out of a magazine article, I give it a pat on the head and send it on its way. As the temptation hops off into the distance, I take a moment to fix its cute fuzzy image in my mind. I think about why those adorable little ears almost convinced me to leave my path. Almost convinced me to stop practicing and jump into a project.

I want to mark this possible diversion on my mental Google Map. One day I will stop practicing and head off the path to explore.



While I waited for my mushroom and Swiss cheese burger, I read the winter 2010 issue of Woodwork: People, Ideas and New Work. It is the sort of issue that one keeps forever. The articles are so well written that each time I feel unmotivated; this is where I will turn. The articles are so well written that they tempted me to run home try other stuff, to skip practicing, to leave the path. Patrick Downes has written an article about a woman named Yuri Kobayashi. Her work reminds me of one of my favorite artists Maya Lin, who is best known for creating the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I read of her life, I stared at the pictures of her work, and I wanted to try to learn her style. She has a piece called passages II, which is a bridge made using 4,000 mortise-and-tenon joints. To date, I have cut 11.



No sooner had I dismissed this temptation, when another popped out of the next page. Terry Martin told me all about David Ellsworth. He turns bowls. He turns magnificent bowls. The tale of his life, dedicated to the pursuit of his craft, filled me with wonder. He has a book, some of you probably have it sitting on a shelf; it is called, "Ellsworth on Woodturning, How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels." I thought to myself, "Find this book, devour its secrets, and learn to turn, buy a lathe, take bite of cheeseburger and a few fries, Oh, the Vikings scored…" I was reading the article at a bar and watching the Vikings vs. the Cowboys, while a washing machine sucked the sawdust out of my clothes. Had the Viking not scored, I might not have snapped out it. I might have wondered off the path. A pat on the head, one last look, and the temptation was gone, but it was a close one.



Though I choose not to follow either temptation, their work, stirs my creative juices. It makes me remember all of my own ideas, which I want to pursue. I returned home after the game, and opened up Photoshop. I dusted off a few of my designs, an art deco pattern, a chair and bathroom I created in sketch up, and I get my mind back where it belongs.

Wood is such a special medium. The soft feeling after it has been sanded, the stunning patterns that the years have woven into the grain, and the limitless possibilities that woodworking holds, all make this the most exciting time of my life. So I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. Ok, now off to put the sawdust back in my clothes.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *I Will Continue To Practice*
> 
> 
> 
> What drives your woodworking?
> 
> I just want to be great at it. I have no idea if I will make furniture, turn bowls, chisel sculptures, or build tiny pieces of art. Each time I see something beautiful that is what I want to do. Woodworking has so many paths.
> 
> It is easy to recognize that dabbling in everything will lead to a mastery of nothing. The importance of focus keeps me on my path of discovery. When the temptation to stray pokes its head out of a magazine article, I give it a pat on the head and send it on its way. As the temptation hops off into the distance, I take a moment to fix its cute fuzzy image in my mind. I think about why those adorable little ears almost convinced me to leave my path. Almost convinced me to stop practicing and jump into a project.
> 
> I want to mark this possible diversion on my mental Google Map. One day I will stop practicing and head off the path to explore.
> 
> 
> 
> While I waited for my mushroom and Swiss cheese burger, I read the winter 2010 issue of Woodwork: People, Ideas and New Work. It is the sort of issue that one keeps forever. The articles are so well written that each time I feel unmotivated; this is where I will turn. The articles are so well written that they tempted me to run home try other stuff, to skip practicing, to leave the path. Patrick Downes has written an article about a woman named Yuri Kobayashi. Her work reminds me of one of my favorite artists Maya Lin, who is best known for creating the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I read of her life, I stared at the pictures of her work, and I wanted to try to learn her style. She has a piece called passages II, which is a bridge made using 4,000 mortise-and-tenon joints. To date, I have cut 11.
> 
> 
> 
> No sooner had I dismissed this temptation, when another popped out of the next page. Terry Martin told me all about David Ellsworth. He turns bowls. He turns magnificent bowls. The tale of his life, dedicated to the pursuit of his craft, filled me with wonder. He has a book, some of you probably have it sitting on a shelf; it is called, "Ellsworth on Woodturning, How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels." I thought to myself, "Find this book, devour its secrets, and learn to turn, buy a lathe, take bite of cheeseburger and a few fries, Oh, the Vikings scored…" I was reading the article at a bar and watching the Vikings vs. the Cowboys, while a washing machine sucked the sawdust out of my clothes. Had the Viking not scored, I might not have snapped out it. I might have wondered off the path. A pat on the head, one last look, and the temptation was gone, but it was a close one.
> 
> 
> 
> Though I choose not to follow either temptation, their work, stirs my creative juices. It makes me remember all of my own ideas, which I want to pursue. I returned home after the game, and opened up Photoshop. I dusted off a few of my designs, an art deco pattern, a chair and bathroom I created in sketch up, and I get my mind back where it belongs.
> 
> Wood is such a special medium. The soft feeling after it has been sanded, the stunning patterns that the years have woven into the grain, and the limitless possibilities that woodworking holds, all make this the most exciting time of my life. So I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. Ok, now off to put the sawdust back in my clothes.


Keep in mind, sawdust does have other uses.


----------



## chuck66

Ecocandle said:


> *I Will Continue To Practice*
> 
> 
> 
> What drives your woodworking?
> 
> I just want to be great at it. I have no idea if I will make furniture, turn bowls, chisel sculptures, or build tiny pieces of art. Each time I see something beautiful that is what I want to do. Woodworking has so many paths.
> 
> It is easy to recognize that dabbling in everything will lead to a mastery of nothing. The importance of focus keeps me on my path of discovery. When the temptation to stray pokes its head out of a magazine article, I give it a pat on the head and send it on its way. As the temptation hops off into the distance, I take a moment to fix its cute fuzzy image in my mind. I think about why those adorable little ears almost convinced me to leave my path. Almost convinced me to stop practicing and jump into a project.
> 
> I want to mark this possible diversion on my mental Google Map. One day I will stop practicing and head off the path to explore.
> 
> 
> 
> While I waited for my mushroom and Swiss cheese burger, I read the winter 2010 issue of Woodwork: People, Ideas and New Work. It is the sort of issue that one keeps forever. The articles are so well written that each time I feel unmotivated; this is where I will turn. The articles are so well written that they tempted me to run home try other stuff, to skip practicing, to leave the path. Patrick Downes has written an article about a woman named Yuri Kobayashi. Her work reminds me of one of my favorite artists Maya Lin, who is best known for creating the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I read of her life, I stared at the pictures of her work, and I wanted to try to learn her style. She has a piece called passages II, which is a bridge made using 4,000 mortise-and-tenon joints. To date, I have cut 11.
> 
> 
> 
> No sooner had I dismissed this temptation, when another popped out of the next page. Terry Martin told me all about David Ellsworth. He turns bowls. He turns magnificent bowls. The tale of his life, dedicated to the pursuit of his craft, filled me with wonder. He has a book, some of you probably have it sitting on a shelf; it is called, "Ellsworth on Woodturning, How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels." I thought to myself, "Find this book, devour its secrets, and learn to turn, buy a lathe, take bite of cheeseburger and a few fries, Oh, the Vikings scored…" I was reading the article at a bar and watching the Vikings vs. the Cowboys, while a washing machine sucked the sawdust out of my clothes. Had the Viking not scored, I might not have snapped out it. I might have wondered off the path. A pat on the head, one last look, and the temptation was gone, but it was a close one.
> 
> 
> 
> Though I choose not to follow either temptation, their work, stirs my creative juices. It makes me remember all of my own ideas, which I want to pursue. I returned home after the game, and opened up Photoshop. I dusted off a few of my designs, an art deco pattern, a chair and bathroom I created in sketch up, and I get my mind back where it belongs.
> 
> Wood is such a special medium. The soft feeling after it has been sanded, the stunning patterns that the years have woven into the grain, and the limitless possibilities that woodworking holds, all make this the most exciting time of my life. So I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. Ok, now off to put the sawdust back in my clothes.


I want pics of your latest dovetails.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *I Will Continue To Practice*
> 
> 
> 
> What drives your woodworking?
> 
> I just want to be great at it. I have no idea if I will make furniture, turn bowls, chisel sculptures, or build tiny pieces of art. Each time I see something beautiful that is what I want to do. Woodworking has so many paths.
> 
> It is easy to recognize that dabbling in everything will lead to a mastery of nothing. The importance of focus keeps me on my path of discovery. When the temptation to stray pokes its head out of a magazine article, I give it a pat on the head and send it on its way. As the temptation hops off into the distance, I take a moment to fix its cute fuzzy image in my mind. I think about why those adorable little ears almost convinced me to leave my path. Almost convinced me to stop practicing and jump into a project.
> 
> I want to mark this possible diversion on my mental Google Map. One day I will stop practicing and head off the path to explore.
> 
> 
> 
> While I waited for my mushroom and Swiss cheese burger, I read the winter 2010 issue of Woodwork: People, Ideas and New Work. It is the sort of issue that one keeps forever. The articles are so well written that each time I feel unmotivated; this is where I will turn. The articles are so well written that they tempted me to run home try other stuff, to skip practicing, to leave the path. Patrick Downes has written an article about a woman named Yuri Kobayashi. Her work reminds me of one of my favorite artists Maya Lin, who is best known for creating the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I read of her life, I stared at the pictures of her work, and I wanted to try to learn her style. She has a piece called passages II, which is a bridge made using 4,000 mortise-and-tenon joints. To date, I have cut 11.
> 
> 
> 
> No sooner had I dismissed this temptation, when another popped out of the next page. Terry Martin told me all about David Ellsworth. He turns bowls. He turns magnificent bowls. The tale of his life, dedicated to the pursuit of his craft, filled me with wonder. He has a book, some of you probably have it sitting on a shelf; it is called, "Ellsworth on Woodturning, How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels." I thought to myself, "Find this book, devour its secrets, and learn to turn, buy a lathe, take bite of cheeseburger and a few fries, Oh, the Vikings scored…" I was reading the article at a bar and watching the Vikings vs. the Cowboys, while a washing machine sucked the sawdust out of my clothes. Had the Viking not scored, I might not have snapped out it. I might have wondered off the path. A pat on the head, one last look, and the temptation was gone, but it was a close one.
> 
> 
> 
> Though I choose not to follow either temptation, their work, stirs my creative juices. It makes me remember all of my own ideas, which I want to pursue. I returned home after the game, and opened up Photoshop. I dusted off a few of my designs, an art deco pattern, a chair and bathroom I created in sketch up, and I get my mind back where it belongs.
> 
> Wood is such a special medium. The soft feeling after it has been sanded, the stunning patterns that the years have woven into the grain, and the limitless possibilities that woodworking holds, all make this the most exciting time of my life. So I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. Ok, now off to put the sawdust back in my clothes.


A good way to practice is to make shop accessories, much as you are doing with the project you have been showing in the blog. They don't have to be perfect, and you will not only get the joy of making them, but also the satisfaction of using them. They will also serve as a reminder of your progress.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *I Will Continue To Practice*
> 
> 
> 
> What drives your woodworking?
> 
> I just want to be great at it. I have no idea if I will make furniture, turn bowls, chisel sculptures, or build tiny pieces of art. Each time I see something beautiful that is what I want to do. Woodworking has so many paths.
> 
> It is easy to recognize that dabbling in everything will lead to a mastery of nothing. The importance of focus keeps me on my path of discovery. When the temptation to stray pokes its head out of a magazine article, I give it a pat on the head and send it on its way. As the temptation hops off into the distance, I take a moment to fix its cute fuzzy image in my mind. I think about why those adorable little ears almost convinced me to leave my path. Almost convinced me to stop practicing and jump into a project.
> 
> I want to mark this possible diversion on my mental Google Map. One day I will stop practicing and head off the path to explore.
> 
> 
> 
> While I waited for my mushroom and Swiss cheese burger, I read the winter 2010 issue of Woodwork: People, Ideas and New Work. It is the sort of issue that one keeps forever. The articles are so well written that each time I feel unmotivated; this is where I will turn. The articles are so well written that they tempted me to run home try other stuff, to skip practicing, to leave the path. Patrick Downes has written an article about a woman named Yuri Kobayashi. Her work reminds me of one of my favorite artists Maya Lin, who is best known for creating the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I read of her life, I stared at the pictures of her work, and I wanted to try to learn her style. She has a piece called passages II, which is a bridge made using 4,000 mortise-and-tenon joints. To date, I have cut 11.
> 
> 
> 
> No sooner had I dismissed this temptation, when another popped out of the next page. Terry Martin told me all about David Ellsworth. He turns bowls. He turns magnificent bowls. The tale of his life, dedicated to the pursuit of his craft, filled me with wonder. He has a book, some of you probably have it sitting on a shelf; it is called, "Ellsworth on Woodturning, How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels." I thought to myself, "Find this book, devour its secrets, and learn to turn, buy a lathe, take bite of cheeseburger and a few fries, Oh, the Vikings scored…" I was reading the article at a bar and watching the Vikings vs. the Cowboys, while a washing machine sucked the sawdust out of my clothes. Had the Viking not scored, I might not have snapped out it. I might have wondered off the path. A pat on the head, one last look, and the temptation was gone, but it was a close one.
> 
> 
> 
> Though I choose not to follow either temptation, their work, stirs my creative juices. It makes me remember all of my own ideas, which I want to pursue. I returned home after the game, and opened up Photoshop. I dusted off a few of my designs, an art deco pattern, a chair and bathroom I created in sketch up, and I get my mind back where it belongs.
> 
> Wood is such a special medium. The soft feeling after it has been sanded, the stunning patterns that the years have woven into the grain, and the limitless possibilities that woodworking holds, all make this the most exciting time of my life. So I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. Ok, now off to put the sawdust back in my clothes.


I enjoyed this entry. For myself, it is the process of learning over and above the final accomplishment.

Recent prime example: I wanted to cut decent box joints. I tried on the tablesaw. They were fair. I built a first jig based on examples I saw here. The jig sucked. I found a plan in shopnotes. I built it. I tried it on pine. Things were getting better. I learned how to adjust the jig to make it do what I want. I finished a project with decent box joints. I have not used the jig since then.

If I were doing this for a living, I would certainly go for the repeatable model. For now, the joy of learning carries me through.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *I Will Continue To Practice*
> 
> 
> 
> What drives your woodworking?
> 
> I just want to be great at it. I have no idea if I will make furniture, turn bowls, chisel sculptures, or build tiny pieces of art. Each time I see something beautiful that is what I want to do. Woodworking has so many paths.
> 
> It is easy to recognize that dabbling in everything will lead to a mastery of nothing. The importance of focus keeps me on my path of discovery. When the temptation to stray pokes its head out of a magazine article, I give it a pat on the head and send it on its way. As the temptation hops off into the distance, I take a moment to fix its cute fuzzy image in my mind. I think about why those adorable little ears almost convinced me to leave my path. Almost convinced me to stop practicing and jump into a project.
> 
> I want to mark this possible diversion on my mental Google Map. One day I will stop practicing and head off the path to explore.
> 
> 
> 
> While I waited for my mushroom and Swiss cheese burger, I read the winter 2010 issue of Woodwork: People, Ideas and New Work. It is the sort of issue that one keeps forever. The articles are so well written that each time I feel unmotivated; this is where I will turn. The articles are so well written that they tempted me to run home try other stuff, to skip practicing, to leave the path. Patrick Downes has written an article about a woman named Yuri Kobayashi. Her work reminds me of one of my favorite artists Maya Lin, who is best known for creating the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I read of her life, I stared at the pictures of her work, and I wanted to try to learn her style. She has a piece called passages II, which is a bridge made using 4,000 mortise-and-tenon joints. To date, I have cut 11.
> 
> 
> 
> No sooner had I dismissed this temptation, when another popped out of the next page. Terry Martin told me all about David Ellsworth. He turns bowls. He turns magnificent bowls. The tale of his life, dedicated to the pursuit of his craft, filled me with wonder. He has a book, some of you probably have it sitting on a shelf; it is called, "Ellsworth on Woodturning, How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels." I thought to myself, "Find this book, devour its secrets, and learn to turn, buy a lathe, take bite of cheeseburger and a few fries, Oh, the Vikings scored…" I was reading the article at a bar and watching the Vikings vs. the Cowboys, while a washing machine sucked the sawdust out of my clothes. Had the Viking not scored, I might not have snapped out it. I might have wondered off the path. A pat on the head, one last look, and the temptation was gone, but it was a close one.
> 
> 
> 
> Though I choose not to follow either temptation, their work, stirs my creative juices. It makes me remember all of my own ideas, which I want to pursue. I returned home after the game, and opened up Photoshop. I dusted off a few of my designs, an art deco pattern, a chair and bathroom I created in sketch up, and I get my mind back where it belongs.
> 
> Wood is such a special medium. The soft feeling after it has been sanded, the stunning patterns that the years have woven into the grain, and the limitless possibilities that woodworking holds, all make this the most exciting time of my life. So I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. Ok, now off to put the sawdust back in my clothes.


Hi. My name is Debbie - and I am a dabbler. And proud of it. The trick is to also to apply some energy at becoming a master at something at the same time 

Some day I hope to be a Master as well as a Dabbler


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *I Will Continue To Practice*
> 
> 
> 
> What drives your woodworking?
> 
> I just want to be great at it. I have no idea if I will make furniture, turn bowls, chisel sculptures, or build tiny pieces of art. Each time I see something beautiful that is what I want to do. Woodworking has so many paths.
> 
> It is easy to recognize that dabbling in everything will lead to a mastery of nothing. The importance of focus keeps me on my path of discovery. When the temptation to stray pokes its head out of a magazine article, I give it a pat on the head and send it on its way. As the temptation hops off into the distance, I take a moment to fix its cute fuzzy image in my mind. I think about why those adorable little ears almost convinced me to leave my path. Almost convinced me to stop practicing and jump into a project.
> 
> I want to mark this possible diversion on my mental Google Map. One day I will stop practicing and head off the path to explore.
> 
> 
> 
> While I waited for my mushroom and Swiss cheese burger, I read the winter 2010 issue of Woodwork: People, Ideas and New Work. It is the sort of issue that one keeps forever. The articles are so well written that each time I feel unmotivated; this is where I will turn. The articles are so well written that they tempted me to run home try other stuff, to skip practicing, to leave the path. Patrick Downes has written an article about a woman named Yuri Kobayashi. Her work reminds me of one of my favorite artists Maya Lin, who is best known for creating the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I read of her life, I stared at the pictures of her work, and I wanted to try to learn her style. She has a piece called passages II, which is a bridge made using 4,000 mortise-and-tenon joints. To date, I have cut 11.
> 
> 
> 
> No sooner had I dismissed this temptation, when another popped out of the next page. Terry Martin told me all about David Ellsworth. He turns bowls. He turns magnificent bowls. The tale of his life, dedicated to the pursuit of his craft, filled me with wonder. He has a book, some of you probably have it sitting on a shelf; it is called, "Ellsworth on Woodturning, How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels." I thought to myself, "Find this book, devour its secrets, and learn to turn, buy a lathe, take bite of cheeseburger and a few fries, Oh, the Vikings scored…" I was reading the article at a bar and watching the Vikings vs. the Cowboys, while a washing machine sucked the sawdust out of my clothes. Had the Viking not scored, I might not have snapped out it. I might have wondered off the path. A pat on the head, one last look, and the temptation was gone, but it was a close one.
> 
> 
> 
> Though I choose not to follow either temptation, their work, stirs my creative juices. It makes me remember all of my own ideas, which I want to pursue. I returned home after the game, and opened up Photoshop. I dusted off a few of my designs, an art deco pattern, a chair and bathroom I created in sketch up, and I get my mind back where it belongs.
> 
> Wood is such a special medium. The soft feeling after it has been sanded, the stunning patterns that the years have woven into the grain, and the limitless possibilities that woodworking holds, all make this the most exciting time of my life. So I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. Ok, now off to put the sawdust back in my clothes.


Pleasant reading as always Brian -

Much of my motivation is kind of a rebellion against the plastic, chip board, and poor veneer items that are force fed at the big stores in my town. I grew tired of watching items get set out to the curb and I pretty much knew that the only cure would be to just make it myself. I get a kick out of accompanying friends when they are shopping these days and when they stop at a table or cabinet, I can point out the structural problems and why that pretty table will fall apart within a couple of years. I will be getting more vested in projects this year and will be working with a higher grade of wood.

As far as practice goes, I am with Mike on building shop items. I would never dictate to another on how to practice (especially since I am a novice myself) but there are some gains to small projects that provide more advantages than the practicing of cuts. Projects give you that full dimension. Each board has a relationship with each other, the mortise and the tenon, the pins with the tails, etc. Success is hard to gauge until you establish the relationship with those pieces. If you think you were in error when you made a pin, you might be able to fix it with the tail. Same with the other joinery. To paraphrase another commentator of your posts, a cut is only in error if both board don't allign correctly.

Keep us posted on your successes. Your cuts are looking very good and it looks like the saw and chisels are becoming very familiar to you. I am glad you are finding yourself so immersed in the practice and that love for the hobby will carry you far.

David


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *I Will Continue To Practice*
> 
> 
> 
> What drives your woodworking?
> 
> I just want to be great at it. I have no idea if I will make furniture, turn bowls, chisel sculptures, or build tiny pieces of art. Each time I see something beautiful that is what I want to do. Woodworking has so many paths.
> 
> It is easy to recognize that dabbling in everything will lead to a mastery of nothing. The importance of focus keeps me on my path of discovery. When the temptation to stray pokes its head out of a magazine article, I give it a pat on the head and send it on its way. As the temptation hops off into the distance, I take a moment to fix its cute fuzzy image in my mind. I think about why those adorable little ears almost convinced me to leave my path. Almost convinced me to stop practicing and jump into a project.
> 
> I want to mark this possible diversion on my mental Google Map. One day I will stop practicing and head off the path to explore.
> 
> 
> 
> While I waited for my mushroom and Swiss cheese burger, I read the winter 2010 issue of Woodwork: People, Ideas and New Work. It is the sort of issue that one keeps forever. The articles are so well written that each time I feel unmotivated; this is where I will turn. The articles are so well written that they tempted me to run home try other stuff, to skip practicing, to leave the path. Patrick Downes has written an article about a woman named Yuri Kobayashi. Her work reminds me of one of my favorite artists Maya Lin, who is best known for creating the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I read of her life, I stared at the pictures of her work, and I wanted to try to learn her style. She has a piece called passages II, which is a bridge made using 4,000 mortise-and-tenon joints. To date, I have cut 11.
> 
> 
> 
> No sooner had I dismissed this temptation, when another popped out of the next page. Terry Martin told me all about David Ellsworth. He turns bowls. He turns magnificent bowls. The tale of his life, dedicated to the pursuit of his craft, filled me with wonder. He has a book, some of you probably have it sitting on a shelf; it is called, "Ellsworth on Woodturning, How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels." I thought to myself, "Find this book, devour its secrets, and learn to turn, buy a lathe, take bite of cheeseburger and a few fries, Oh, the Vikings scored…" I was reading the article at a bar and watching the Vikings vs. the Cowboys, while a washing machine sucked the sawdust out of my clothes. Had the Viking not scored, I might not have snapped out it. I might have wondered off the path. A pat on the head, one last look, and the temptation was gone, but it was a close one.
> 
> 
> 
> Though I choose not to follow either temptation, their work, stirs my creative juices. It makes me remember all of my own ideas, which I want to pursue. I returned home after the game, and opened up Photoshop. I dusted off a few of my designs, an art deco pattern, a chair and bathroom I created in sketch up, and I get my mind back where it belongs.
> 
> Wood is such a special medium. The soft feeling after it has been sanded, the stunning patterns that the years have woven into the grain, and the limitless possibilities that woodworking holds, all make this the most exciting time of my life. So I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. Ok, now off to put the sawdust back in my clothes.


Brian,

I, too, take inspiration from reading about the works of others.
I wouldn't attempt to reproduce their work for two reasons:

1. I don't think my skills and tools wouldn't make the grade.
2. I don't like copying.

In high school there was a great deal of copying to improve one's grades. I grew to hate it.
What I failed to understand then was that reading what my fellow students wrote is good.

Well, let's define "good". In this case the good would have been to allow their thoughts to stimulate my own.

These days, a few years later (Harrumph, cough, er- perhaps many years), I like to read and see what others are doing so my brain can absorb, digest and assimilate.

I only took up woodworking seriously since I retired at age 70, so I'm still making the climb on the learning curve. So, it helps to hear what my fellow woodworkers (I dare to call them my fellows) are thinking and doing.

Reading your blogs encourages me that you too, are making that journey as many others do.
Sharing thoughts as you do helps.

Thanks.

db


----------



## douginaz

Ecocandle said:


> *I Will Continue To Practice*
> 
> 
> 
> What drives your woodworking?
> 
> I just want to be great at it. I have no idea if I will make furniture, turn bowls, chisel sculptures, or build tiny pieces of art. Each time I see something beautiful that is what I want to do. Woodworking has so many paths.
> 
> It is easy to recognize that dabbling in everything will lead to a mastery of nothing. The importance of focus keeps me on my path of discovery. When the temptation to stray pokes its head out of a magazine article, I give it a pat on the head and send it on its way. As the temptation hops off into the distance, I take a moment to fix its cute fuzzy image in my mind. I think about why those adorable little ears almost convinced me to leave my path. Almost convinced me to stop practicing and jump into a project.
> 
> I want to mark this possible diversion on my mental Google Map. One day I will stop practicing and head off the path to explore.
> 
> 
> 
> While I waited for my mushroom and Swiss cheese burger, I read the winter 2010 issue of Woodwork: People, Ideas and New Work. It is the sort of issue that one keeps forever. The articles are so well written that each time I feel unmotivated; this is where I will turn. The articles are so well written that they tempted me to run home try other stuff, to skip practicing, to leave the path. Patrick Downes has written an article about a woman named Yuri Kobayashi. Her work reminds me of one of my favorite artists Maya Lin, who is best known for creating the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I read of her life, I stared at the pictures of her work, and I wanted to try to learn her style. She has a piece called passages II, which is a bridge made using 4,000 mortise-and-tenon joints. To date, I have cut 11.
> 
> 
> 
> No sooner had I dismissed this temptation, when another popped out of the next page. Terry Martin told me all about David Ellsworth. He turns bowls. He turns magnificent bowls. The tale of his life, dedicated to the pursuit of his craft, filled me with wonder. He has a book, some of you probably have it sitting on a shelf; it is called, "Ellsworth on Woodturning, How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels." I thought to myself, "Find this book, devour its secrets, and learn to turn, buy a lathe, take bite of cheeseburger and a few fries, Oh, the Vikings scored…" I was reading the article at a bar and watching the Vikings vs. the Cowboys, while a washing machine sucked the sawdust out of my clothes. Had the Viking not scored, I might not have snapped out it. I might have wondered off the path. A pat on the head, one last look, and the temptation was gone, but it was a close one.
> 
> 
> 
> Though I choose not to follow either temptation, their work, stirs my creative juices. It makes me remember all of my own ideas, which I want to pursue. I returned home after the game, and opened up Photoshop. I dusted off a few of my designs, an art deco pattern, a chair and bathroom I created in sketch up, and I get my mind back where it belongs.
> 
> Wood is such a special medium. The soft feeling after it has been sanded, the stunning patterns that the years have woven into the grain, and the limitless possibilities that woodworking holds, all make this the most exciting time of my life. So I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. I will continue to practice. Ok, now off to put the sawdust back in my clothes.


Hi gang, loved the post as always. I can appreciate the time and trouble you are devoting to practicing your new found hobby. I should probably have spent more time doing just that but I took a different road. I jumped in with both feet and paid the price for doing so. I just sold the first piece of "furniture" I ever made, a seven foot long oak book case that I used trim to hide my mistakes on over sized dado's, darker and darker stain to hide my inability at the time to tone wood. I made that piece in 1994, I hated to see it go, I enjoyed looking at the flaws, they actually brought a smile to my face. The memories it brought would bring out the fierce pride I took in achieving what at the time seemed like a great many challenges. How to cut dado's with an undersized and cheapo router, the wrong size bit, working on the patio with little more than saw horses. Trying to keep every thing square and tight, using tape and bungie cords for clamps. These memories are cherished, I hope you don't practice yourself out of any. 
Later, 
Doug in AZ.


----------



## Ecocandle

*My Inconvenient Truth*



I am completely gassed. Today I completed the last cuts I need to put the top stretchers into the legs of my saw horses. The last major hurdle was to cut the feet into something more interesting looking than a rectangle. Krenov, who designed these, has the feet with pleasing angles and a cut out on the bottom. I had delusions of grandeur and considered doing something different, but I couldn't come up with anything I like better than the Master's design.
My desire to improve at using hand tools has driven me to cut all the joints by hand, so I thought I might as well make these cuts by had too. I learned several things today, not the least of which is that my conditioning needs some work. Though I usually try to be funny, sadly, the last sentence was just an observation; a sad, exhausted, middle aged and completely inconvenient truth. I don't think my truth will garner me a Nobel though, but I digress, as usual.
What else did I learn, you ask? Well I will tell you. Practicing with my chisels every day has given me the confidence to fix errant cuts. The second thing I learned is that my two fancy pants Japanese hand saws have an Achilles heel. The metal bracket at the top of the blade prevents certain cuts. When I was cutting out the portion at the bottom I started by drilling a hole at the point where the angle mark meets the parallel mark. This was done to give me a bit of extra space for my coping saw. Then I cut the angled cuts on each side. With the coping saw in place I began to cut.



My approach to learning is to tackle the hardest tools, wood, and methods with vim and vigor. I choose to start with hard maple, because it is, well, hard. I don't know if it is the hardest wood to cut and chisel, but it is certainly not the easiest. It seems reasonable that if I build my confidence on hard maple, then when I am working on another wood type, I should be fine. The cutting of an 8 inch line with a coping saw, through hard maple, turned out to be a herculean task. A few inches in, I decided to make another perpendicular cut and remove a portion of the piece I was cutting. This allowed me to use my smaller Japanese hand saw. Switching saws sped up the process considerably, but the aforementioned bit of metal running along the top of the blade, caused the cut to be slightly downhill.
After another inch there was enough space to switch to the saw pictured. This is my first and least expensive saw, but it was the perfect tool for the task. Are the other 2 saws better? Yes, they cut cleaner, they have a finer kerf, and cut more quickly, but in this instance, they had to take a back seat. So I completed the cut and gave it a look. It was fair. Not so long ago, this would have made me sad.
No more! I grabbed my marking devices, drew a line to true up the cut. I clamped the piece of wood onto the workbench and began to chisel. After a couple of very noisy whacks, I remembered a comment from the blog, about workbenches being big and heavy. My first bench is not as massive as some that I have seen, but before I could fret about this, I decided to move my piece of maple and clamp it down over the leg. This worked wonderfully and was the third thing I learned today.



So the foot got shaped the way I wanted it. That was the good news; the bad news is that there are 3 more of them. Though I want to practice daily, with my hand tools, I also want to improve with my circular saw and router. Yeah, yeah that it, I am not abandoning my philosophy, I am practicing something else. I am not taking the easy way out. In all truthfulness, I am sure the router will do a better job, with less exhaustion, but I have used it so little that I am sure it will be a bit scary. The first foot should be a good template for the others. Every tool is important and every discovery is a thrill. The finish line is within sight, the saw horses are nearly done, and I will be able to choose my next project. Will it be a router table or a book shelf? And most importantly, will my damn DVDs and books arrive tomorrow? I feel another rant boiling up deep inside of me. Type at you later.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *My Inconvenient Truth*
> 
> 
> 
> I am completely gassed. Today I completed the last cuts I need to put the top stretchers into the legs of my saw horses. The last major hurdle was to cut the feet into something more interesting looking than a rectangle. Krenov, who designed these, has the feet with pleasing angles and a cut out on the bottom. I had delusions of grandeur and considered doing something different, but I couldn't come up with anything I like better than the Master's design.
> My desire to improve at using hand tools has driven me to cut all the joints by hand, so I thought I might as well make these cuts by had too. I learned several things today, not the least of which is that my conditioning needs some work. Though I usually try to be funny, sadly, the last sentence was just an observation; a sad, exhausted, middle aged and completely inconvenient truth. I don't think my truth will garner me a Nobel though, but I digress, as usual.
> What else did I learn, you ask? Well I will tell you. Practicing with my chisels every day has given me the confidence to fix errant cuts. The second thing I learned is that my two fancy pants Japanese hand saws have an Achilles heel. The metal bracket at the top of the blade prevents certain cuts. When I was cutting out the portion at the bottom I started by drilling a hole at the point where the angle mark meets the parallel mark. This was done to give me a bit of extra space for my coping saw. Then I cut the angled cuts on each side. With the coping saw in place I began to cut.
> 
> 
> 
> My approach to learning is to tackle the hardest tools, wood, and methods with vim and vigor. I choose to start with hard maple, because it is, well, hard. I don't know if it is the hardest wood to cut and chisel, but it is certainly not the easiest. It seems reasonable that if I build my confidence on hard maple, then when I am working on another wood type, I should be fine. The cutting of an 8 inch line with a coping saw, through hard maple, turned out to be a herculean task. A few inches in, I decided to make another perpendicular cut and remove a portion of the piece I was cutting. This allowed me to use my smaller Japanese hand saw. Switching saws sped up the process considerably, but the aforementioned bit of metal running along the top of the blade, caused the cut to be slightly downhill.
> After another inch there was enough space to switch to the saw pictured. This is my first and least expensive saw, but it was the perfect tool for the task. Are the other 2 saws better? Yes, they cut cleaner, they have a finer kerf, and cut more quickly, but in this instance, they had to take a back seat. So I completed the cut and gave it a look. It was fair. Not so long ago, this would have made me sad.
> No more! I grabbed my marking devices, drew a line to true up the cut. I clamped the piece of wood onto the workbench and began to chisel. After a couple of very noisy whacks, I remembered a comment from the blog, about workbenches being big and heavy. My first bench is not as massive as some that I have seen, but before I could fret about this, I decided to move my piece of maple and clamp it down over the leg. This worked wonderfully and was the third thing I learned today.
> 
> 
> 
> So the foot got shaped the way I wanted it. That was the good news; the bad news is that there are 3 more of them. Though I want to practice daily, with my hand tools, I also want to improve with my circular saw and router. Yeah, yeah that it, I am not abandoning my philosophy, I am practicing something else. I am not taking the easy way out. In all truthfulness, I am sure the router will do a better job, with less exhaustion, but I have used it so little that I am sure it will be a bit scary. The first foot should be a good template for the others. Every tool is important and every discovery is a thrill. The finish line is within sight, the saw horses are nearly done, and I will be able to choose my next project. Will it be a router table or a book shelf? And most importantly, will my damn DVDs and books arrive tomorrow? I feel another rant boiling up deep inside of me. Type at you later.


Congrats Brian. It looks like your "inconvenient truth" led you to some very "convenient knowledge." Fixing your own errors is a big step in woodworking. You didn't settle for fair and you made it right. Kudos to you. IMHO, expanding your tool arsenal is not cheating, even if it means using…gasp…power tools. With a router table setup and a pattern bit, you could create your first piece by hand then duplicate them on the router for consistency. Gives you the thrill and satisfaction of carefully sculpting the piece and still allows you to produce matching sets without the frustration.

Congrats on your progress and thank you for sharing.

David


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *My Inconvenient Truth*
> 
> 
> 
> I am completely gassed. Today I completed the last cuts I need to put the top stretchers into the legs of my saw horses. The last major hurdle was to cut the feet into something more interesting looking than a rectangle. Krenov, who designed these, has the feet with pleasing angles and a cut out on the bottom. I had delusions of grandeur and considered doing something different, but I couldn't come up with anything I like better than the Master's design.
> My desire to improve at using hand tools has driven me to cut all the joints by hand, so I thought I might as well make these cuts by had too. I learned several things today, not the least of which is that my conditioning needs some work. Though I usually try to be funny, sadly, the last sentence was just an observation; a sad, exhausted, middle aged and completely inconvenient truth. I don't think my truth will garner me a Nobel though, but I digress, as usual.
> What else did I learn, you ask? Well I will tell you. Practicing with my chisels every day has given me the confidence to fix errant cuts. The second thing I learned is that my two fancy pants Japanese hand saws have an Achilles heel. The metal bracket at the top of the blade prevents certain cuts. When I was cutting out the portion at the bottom I started by drilling a hole at the point where the angle mark meets the parallel mark. This was done to give me a bit of extra space for my coping saw. Then I cut the angled cuts on each side. With the coping saw in place I began to cut.
> 
> 
> 
> My approach to learning is to tackle the hardest tools, wood, and methods with vim and vigor. I choose to start with hard maple, because it is, well, hard. I don't know if it is the hardest wood to cut and chisel, but it is certainly not the easiest. It seems reasonable that if I build my confidence on hard maple, then when I am working on another wood type, I should be fine. The cutting of an 8 inch line with a coping saw, through hard maple, turned out to be a herculean task. A few inches in, I decided to make another perpendicular cut and remove a portion of the piece I was cutting. This allowed me to use my smaller Japanese hand saw. Switching saws sped up the process considerably, but the aforementioned bit of metal running along the top of the blade, caused the cut to be slightly downhill.
> After another inch there was enough space to switch to the saw pictured. This is my first and least expensive saw, but it was the perfect tool for the task. Are the other 2 saws better? Yes, they cut cleaner, they have a finer kerf, and cut more quickly, but in this instance, they had to take a back seat. So I completed the cut and gave it a look. It was fair. Not so long ago, this would have made me sad.
> No more! I grabbed my marking devices, drew a line to true up the cut. I clamped the piece of wood onto the workbench and began to chisel. After a couple of very noisy whacks, I remembered a comment from the blog, about workbenches being big and heavy. My first bench is not as massive as some that I have seen, but before I could fret about this, I decided to move my piece of maple and clamp it down over the leg. This worked wonderfully and was the third thing I learned today.
> 
> 
> 
> So the foot got shaped the way I wanted it. That was the good news; the bad news is that there are 3 more of them. Though I want to practice daily, with my hand tools, I also want to improve with my circular saw and router. Yeah, yeah that it, I am not abandoning my philosophy, I am practicing something else. I am not taking the easy way out. In all truthfulness, I am sure the router will do a better job, with less exhaustion, but I have used it so little that I am sure it will be a bit scary. The first foot should be a good template for the others. Every tool is important and every discovery is a thrill. The finish line is within sight, the saw horses are nearly done, and I will be able to choose my next project. Will it be a router table or a book shelf? And most importantly, will my damn DVDs and books arrive tomorrow? I feel another rant boiling up deep inside of me. Type at you later.


I like what you are doing here with the handwork Brian and then machine work. It is fun and satisfying to do handwork, but not so great when the work gets repetitious. That double edged Japanese saw is very useful, but be careful with it and mindful that the top also is a very sharp saw. It is easy to forget this and cut yourself with it. How do I know this? Guess.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Giddy Gander (Follow up to Gnashing Teeth)*



Staring out across the frozen tundra that is Martelle in January, I began to apply layers of clothing to my frame, as protection against the bitterness. This, like many of my missives, is a complete exaggeration, it is actually around 25 degrees and not bitter at all. (Now, back to the story) Fearing certain death, or worse, disappointment, I took a pull of diet dew and was about to leave, when suddenly, much to my surprise, the familiar bong of an arriving email caught my attention.

In a previous episode, I had ranted at length about my order from The Taunton Press taking so long to arrive. I awaited 8 DVDs and 2 books on woodworking. My patience had been tested and each day of disappointment brought me to the edge of woe. It had been 4 days since I had blogged about my pain and mental anguish, and I was already getting on my high horse and mentally firing up my poison keyboard. The email made me dismount. Just to be clear, though I do live in rural Iowa, in a very small town, 280 people (as pointed out by a reader), I don't actually have a horse. It is a metaphorical horse. Her name is Ginger.

So I got off Ginger, metaphorically speaking and opened the email. I was stunned, shocked, dismayed, and several other adjectives, which I can't remember right now, but I knew they were there too.

The shock was so pervasive, that I didn't even notice I had finished my diet dew. When finally the cloud of confusion lifted, I thought about the age we live in. Information is everywhere. We can spend our entire lives, twenty-four hours a day, reading and searching the web, and never fully grasp all that is there. It is for this reason that Twitter has thrived. It allows us to, with the help of others, find the good stuff. It has created a voice, a collective non-borg like voice, which helps us to see our world through the collective's eyes, and take in its wonderment in ways never before imagined.

In the not too distant past, a grievance would be suffered in silence, or if really unbearable, a letter would be written. This might help to heal the wound, but the bitterness and anger would never really subside. We have all read about customer service and how if we do something well, our customers will tell 2 -3 people, but if we do something poorly, they will tell 5- 9. Today I realized that is outdated. The blog piece 'Gnashing Teeth' has, to date, been read 289 times. I have effectively told 32.1 times the number of people, which the old model would have predicted. And I had only been blogging for 2 weeks. Think about a disgruntled Tweeterer with 1 million followers, they truly have a booming voice in the cyber world.



But this sword cuts both ways, for as we can complain, so we too can praise. The email was from Patricia A. Williamson, the Vice President of Fulfillment. She was wonderful. She had tried to get in touch with me yesterday, by leaving a message on my phone. I had yesterday off, and spent the day fiddling around with some hard maple. I hadn't noticed her message. When I read her incredibly kind and thoughtful email, I was turned from a grumpy goose into a giddy gander. (Ok, there wasn't really any sort of gender change, but in order to stay with today's alliteration them, I took some poetic license.) She had read my blog. I had thrown my voice out into the digital abyss, and my cries of frustration found their ways to Patricia. And she took action! My package is due to arrive sometime today. Patricia could have given the task of contacting me to an underlying. She could have stopped after leaving the message. She could have done nothing at all. What she did was to save me a trip across the thriving metropolis of Martelle, completely change my opinion of The Taunton Press, and give me a great idea for a blog.

Customer service matters. Business is a balancing act. In today's environment the scales can be tilted in your favor or not. If you handle customer service correctly, you will have a flock of happy customers. And if you don't, you will have an angry pack of blog eating your face off. (Note: That last bit was only funny if you have read 'Gnashing Teeth', and then only just barely.)

Thanks Patricia.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *A Giddy Gander (Follow up to Gnashing Teeth)*
> 
> 
> 
> Staring out across the frozen tundra that is Martelle in January, I began to apply layers of clothing to my frame, as protection against the bitterness. This, like many of my missives, is a complete exaggeration, it is actually around 25 degrees and not bitter at all. (Now, back to the story) Fearing certain death, or worse, disappointment, I took a pull of diet dew and was about to leave, when suddenly, much to my surprise, the familiar bong of an arriving email caught my attention.
> 
> In a previous episode, I had ranted at length about my order from The Taunton Press taking so long to arrive. I awaited 8 DVDs and 2 books on woodworking. My patience had been tested and each day of disappointment brought me to the edge of woe. It had been 4 days since I had blogged about my pain and mental anguish, and I was already getting on my high horse and mentally firing up my poison keyboard. The email made me dismount. Just to be clear, though I do live in rural Iowa, in a very small town, 280 people (as pointed out by a reader), I don't actually have a horse. It is a metaphorical horse. Her name is Ginger.
> 
> So I got off Ginger, metaphorically speaking and opened the email. I was stunned, shocked, dismayed, and several other adjectives, which I can't remember right now, but I knew they were there too.
> 
> The shock was so pervasive, that I didn't even notice I had finished my diet dew. When finally the cloud of confusion lifted, I thought about the age we live in. Information is everywhere. We can spend our entire lives, twenty-four hours a day, reading and searching the web, and never fully grasp all that is there. It is for this reason that Twitter has thrived. It allows us to, with the help of others, find the good stuff. It has created a voice, a collective non-borg like voice, which helps us to see our world through the collective's eyes, and take in its wonderment in ways never before imagined.
> 
> In the not too distant past, a grievance would be suffered in silence, or if really unbearable, a letter would be written. This might help to heal the wound, but the bitterness and anger would never really subside. We have all read about customer service and how if we do something well, our customers will tell 2 -3 people, but if we do something poorly, they will tell 5- 9. Today I realized that is outdated. The blog piece 'Gnashing Teeth' has, to date, been read 289 times. I have effectively told 32.1 times the number of people, which the old model would have predicted. And I had only been blogging for 2 weeks. Think about a disgruntled Tweeterer with 1 million followers, they truly have a booming voice in the cyber world.
> 
> 
> 
> But this sword cuts both ways, for as we can complain, so we too can praise. The email was from Patricia A. Williamson, the Vice President of Fulfillment. She was wonderful. She had tried to get in touch with me yesterday, by leaving a message on my phone. I had yesterday off, and spent the day fiddling around with some hard maple. I hadn't noticed her message. When I read her incredibly kind and thoughtful email, I was turned from a grumpy goose into a giddy gander. (Ok, there wasn't really any sort of gender change, but in order to stay with today's alliteration them, I took some poetic license.) She had read my blog. I had thrown my voice out into the digital abyss, and my cries of frustration found their ways to Patricia. And she took action! My package is due to arrive sometime today. Patricia could have given the task of contacting me to an underlying. She could have stopped after leaving the message. She could have done nothing at all. What she did was to save me a trip across the thriving metropolis of Martelle, completely change my opinion of The Taunton Press, and give me a great idea for a blog.
> 
> Customer service matters. Business is a balancing act. In today's environment the scales can be tilted in your favor or not. If you handle customer service correctly, you will have a flock of happy customers. And if you don't, you will have an angry pack of blog eating your face off. (Note: That last bit was only funny if you have read 'Gnashing Teeth', and then only just barely.)
> 
> Thanks Patricia.


Actually, it is very much a borg-like voice, as implied by the last part of the sentence. But, I quibble.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *A Giddy Gander (Follow up to Gnashing Teeth)*
> 
> 
> 
> Staring out across the frozen tundra that is Martelle in January, I began to apply layers of clothing to my frame, as protection against the bitterness. This, like many of my missives, is a complete exaggeration, it is actually around 25 degrees and not bitter at all. (Now, back to the story) Fearing certain death, or worse, disappointment, I took a pull of diet dew and was about to leave, when suddenly, much to my surprise, the familiar bong of an arriving email caught my attention.
> 
> In a previous episode, I had ranted at length about my order from The Taunton Press taking so long to arrive. I awaited 8 DVDs and 2 books on woodworking. My patience had been tested and each day of disappointment brought me to the edge of woe. It had been 4 days since I had blogged about my pain and mental anguish, and I was already getting on my high horse and mentally firing up my poison keyboard. The email made me dismount. Just to be clear, though I do live in rural Iowa, in a very small town, 280 people (as pointed out by a reader), I don't actually have a horse. It is a metaphorical horse. Her name is Ginger.
> 
> So I got off Ginger, metaphorically speaking and opened the email. I was stunned, shocked, dismayed, and several other adjectives, which I can't remember right now, but I knew they were there too.
> 
> The shock was so pervasive, that I didn't even notice I had finished my diet dew. When finally the cloud of confusion lifted, I thought about the age we live in. Information is everywhere. We can spend our entire lives, twenty-four hours a day, reading and searching the web, and never fully grasp all that is there. It is for this reason that Twitter has thrived. It allows us to, with the help of others, find the good stuff. It has created a voice, a collective non-borg like voice, which helps us to see our world through the collective's eyes, and take in its wonderment in ways never before imagined.
> 
> In the not too distant past, a grievance would be suffered in silence, or if really unbearable, a letter would be written. This might help to heal the wound, but the bitterness and anger would never really subside. We have all read about customer service and how if we do something well, our customers will tell 2 -3 people, but if we do something poorly, they will tell 5- 9. Today I realized that is outdated. The blog piece 'Gnashing Teeth' has, to date, been read 289 times. I have effectively told 32.1 times the number of people, which the old model would have predicted. And I had only been blogging for 2 weeks. Think about a disgruntled Tweeterer with 1 million followers, they truly have a booming voice in the cyber world.
> 
> 
> 
> But this sword cuts both ways, for as we can complain, so we too can praise. The email was from Patricia A. Williamson, the Vice President of Fulfillment. She was wonderful. She had tried to get in touch with me yesterday, by leaving a message on my phone. I had yesterday off, and spent the day fiddling around with some hard maple. I hadn't noticed her message. When I read her incredibly kind and thoughtful email, I was turned from a grumpy goose into a giddy gander. (Ok, there wasn't really any sort of gender change, but in order to stay with today's alliteration them, I took some poetic license.) She had read my blog. I had thrown my voice out into the digital abyss, and my cries of frustration found their ways to Patricia. And she took action! My package is due to arrive sometime today. Patricia could have given the task of contacting me to an underlying. She could have stopped after leaving the message. She could have done nothing at all. What she did was to save me a trip across the thriving metropolis of Martelle, completely change my opinion of The Taunton Press, and give me a great idea for a blog.
> 
> Customer service matters. Business is a balancing act. In today's environment the scales can be tilted in your favor or not. If you handle customer service correctly, you will have a flock of happy customers. And if you don't, you will have an angry pack of blog eating your face off. (Note: That last bit was only funny if you have read 'Gnashing Teeth', and then only just barely.)
> 
> Thanks Patricia.


Excellent story as always Brian. One thing more than a couple lumberjocks here have discovered is that vendors do check out this site. Case in point, you really should read jockmike2's experience with Bostich. It is an excellent customer service story and goes to show you how seriously tool manufacturers and other woodworking related vendors take this community. I am glad you had an awesome customer service experience. Nice when those books and DVDs won't leave a sour taste in your mouth when you use them.

Enjoy your woodworking and give Ginger an apple 

David


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *A Giddy Gander (Follow up to Gnashing Teeth)*
> 
> 
> 
> Staring out across the frozen tundra that is Martelle in January, I began to apply layers of clothing to my frame, as protection against the bitterness. This, like many of my missives, is a complete exaggeration, it is actually around 25 degrees and not bitter at all. (Now, back to the story) Fearing certain death, or worse, disappointment, I took a pull of diet dew and was about to leave, when suddenly, much to my surprise, the familiar bong of an arriving email caught my attention.
> 
> In a previous episode, I had ranted at length about my order from The Taunton Press taking so long to arrive. I awaited 8 DVDs and 2 books on woodworking. My patience had been tested and each day of disappointment brought me to the edge of woe. It had been 4 days since I had blogged about my pain and mental anguish, and I was already getting on my high horse and mentally firing up my poison keyboard. The email made me dismount. Just to be clear, though I do live in rural Iowa, in a very small town, 280 people (as pointed out by a reader), I don't actually have a horse. It is a metaphorical horse. Her name is Ginger.
> 
> So I got off Ginger, metaphorically speaking and opened the email. I was stunned, shocked, dismayed, and several other adjectives, which I can't remember right now, but I knew they were there too.
> 
> The shock was so pervasive, that I didn't even notice I had finished my diet dew. When finally the cloud of confusion lifted, I thought about the age we live in. Information is everywhere. We can spend our entire lives, twenty-four hours a day, reading and searching the web, and never fully grasp all that is there. It is for this reason that Twitter has thrived. It allows us to, with the help of others, find the good stuff. It has created a voice, a collective non-borg like voice, which helps us to see our world through the collective's eyes, and take in its wonderment in ways never before imagined.
> 
> In the not too distant past, a grievance would be suffered in silence, or if really unbearable, a letter would be written. This might help to heal the wound, but the bitterness and anger would never really subside. We have all read about customer service and how if we do something well, our customers will tell 2 -3 people, but if we do something poorly, they will tell 5- 9. Today I realized that is outdated. The blog piece 'Gnashing Teeth' has, to date, been read 289 times. I have effectively told 32.1 times the number of people, which the old model would have predicted. And I had only been blogging for 2 weeks. Think about a disgruntled Tweeterer with 1 million followers, they truly have a booming voice in the cyber world.
> 
> 
> 
> But this sword cuts both ways, for as we can complain, so we too can praise. The email was from Patricia A. Williamson, the Vice President of Fulfillment. She was wonderful. She had tried to get in touch with me yesterday, by leaving a message on my phone. I had yesterday off, and spent the day fiddling around with some hard maple. I hadn't noticed her message. When I read her incredibly kind and thoughtful email, I was turned from a grumpy goose into a giddy gander. (Ok, there wasn't really any sort of gender change, but in order to stay with today's alliteration them, I took some poetic license.) She had read my blog. I had thrown my voice out into the digital abyss, and my cries of frustration found their ways to Patricia. And she took action! My package is due to arrive sometime today. Patricia could have given the task of contacting me to an underlying. She could have stopped after leaving the message. She could have done nothing at all. What she did was to save me a trip across the thriving metropolis of Martelle, completely change my opinion of The Taunton Press, and give me a great idea for a blog.
> 
> Customer service matters. Business is a balancing act. In today's environment the scales can be tilted in your favor or not. If you handle customer service correctly, you will have a flock of happy customers. And if you don't, you will have an angry pack of blog eating your face off. (Note: That last bit was only funny if you have read 'Gnashing Teeth', and then only just barely.)
> 
> Thanks Patricia.


We had been trained to accept mediocrity (the multiplicity of McJobs?) to the degree that we felt it was inappropriate to complain and demand value. Then along comes a new generation, with tweeters twitting their lack of tolerance and showing us a new way of being heard. Good for all of us.

Readin', writin', arithematic
Twittin' to the tune of a hickory stick….

Oh well, it sounded interesting in my head. And Hickory is a wood, so it could be considered apropos.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *A Giddy Gander (Follow up to Gnashing Teeth)*
> 
> 
> 
> Staring out across the frozen tundra that is Martelle in January, I began to apply layers of clothing to my frame, as protection against the bitterness. This, like many of my missives, is a complete exaggeration, it is actually around 25 degrees and not bitter at all. (Now, back to the story) Fearing certain death, or worse, disappointment, I took a pull of diet dew and was about to leave, when suddenly, much to my surprise, the familiar bong of an arriving email caught my attention.
> 
> In a previous episode, I had ranted at length about my order from The Taunton Press taking so long to arrive. I awaited 8 DVDs and 2 books on woodworking. My patience had been tested and each day of disappointment brought me to the edge of woe. It had been 4 days since I had blogged about my pain and mental anguish, and I was already getting on my high horse and mentally firing up my poison keyboard. The email made me dismount. Just to be clear, though I do live in rural Iowa, in a very small town, 280 people (as pointed out by a reader), I don't actually have a horse. It is a metaphorical horse. Her name is Ginger.
> 
> So I got off Ginger, metaphorically speaking and opened the email. I was stunned, shocked, dismayed, and several other adjectives, which I can't remember right now, but I knew they were there too.
> 
> The shock was so pervasive, that I didn't even notice I had finished my diet dew. When finally the cloud of confusion lifted, I thought about the age we live in. Information is everywhere. We can spend our entire lives, twenty-four hours a day, reading and searching the web, and never fully grasp all that is there. It is for this reason that Twitter has thrived. It allows us to, with the help of others, find the good stuff. It has created a voice, a collective non-borg like voice, which helps us to see our world through the collective's eyes, and take in its wonderment in ways never before imagined.
> 
> In the not too distant past, a grievance would be suffered in silence, or if really unbearable, a letter would be written. This might help to heal the wound, but the bitterness and anger would never really subside. We have all read about customer service and how if we do something well, our customers will tell 2 -3 people, but if we do something poorly, they will tell 5- 9. Today I realized that is outdated. The blog piece 'Gnashing Teeth' has, to date, been read 289 times. I have effectively told 32.1 times the number of people, which the old model would have predicted. And I had only been blogging for 2 weeks. Think about a disgruntled Tweeterer with 1 million followers, they truly have a booming voice in the cyber world.
> 
> 
> 
> But this sword cuts both ways, for as we can complain, so we too can praise. The email was from Patricia A. Williamson, the Vice President of Fulfillment. She was wonderful. She had tried to get in touch with me yesterday, by leaving a message on my phone. I had yesterday off, and spent the day fiddling around with some hard maple. I hadn't noticed her message. When I read her incredibly kind and thoughtful email, I was turned from a grumpy goose into a giddy gander. (Ok, there wasn't really any sort of gender change, but in order to stay with today's alliteration them, I took some poetic license.) She had read my blog. I had thrown my voice out into the digital abyss, and my cries of frustration found their ways to Patricia. And she took action! My package is due to arrive sometime today. Patricia could have given the task of contacting me to an underlying. She could have stopped after leaving the message. She could have done nothing at all. What she did was to save me a trip across the thriving metropolis of Martelle, completely change my opinion of The Taunton Press, and give me a great idea for a blog.
> 
> Customer service matters. Business is a balancing act. In today's environment the scales can be tilted in your favor or not. If you handle customer service correctly, you will have a flock of happy customers. And if you don't, you will have an angry pack of blog eating your face off. (Note: That last bit was only funny if you have read 'Gnashing Teeth', and then only just barely.)
> 
> Thanks Patricia.


Brian, Well, I managed to get to the current end of this blog. I began in the middle and read from the beginning to the end. Perhaps it's about time for me to say something? A curiosity I have seen you exhibit several times is about motivation. In the spirit of your blog, I will share my brief and most-modest story. Several years back I started acting upon my interest in making musical instruments..to me, that represented a goal neer' to magic. In time, I no longer wanted to ignore how little I knew about woodworking in general. I wanted to learn from the axioms, like you. And the rest seems to be (making my) history. Woodworking seems to be providing a nice walkway along "the road less-traveled". Someday I'll probably make the instruments I alluded to, but in the meantime I'm happy to work on my joinery and my sharpening (too). Since you obviously enjoy a challenge, I might suggest you choose an elusive goal in woodworking as you might take on an ellusive mathematical question (perhaps something like building a boat?), and just keep doing what you are doing! Have fun!

Best,
Bill


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *A Giddy Gander (Follow up to Gnashing Teeth)*
> 
> 
> 
> Staring out across the frozen tundra that is Martelle in January, I began to apply layers of clothing to my frame, as protection against the bitterness. This, like many of my missives, is a complete exaggeration, it is actually around 25 degrees and not bitter at all. (Now, back to the story) Fearing certain death, or worse, disappointment, I took a pull of diet dew and was about to leave, when suddenly, much to my surprise, the familiar bong of an arriving email caught my attention.
> 
> In a previous episode, I had ranted at length about my order from The Taunton Press taking so long to arrive. I awaited 8 DVDs and 2 books on woodworking. My patience had been tested and each day of disappointment brought me to the edge of woe. It had been 4 days since I had blogged about my pain and mental anguish, and I was already getting on my high horse and mentally firing up my poison keyboard. The email made me dismount. Just to be clear, though I do live in rural Iowa, in a very small town, 280 people (as pointed out by a reader), I don't actually have a horse. It is a metaphorical horse. Her name is Ginger.
> 
> So I got off Ginger, metaphorically speaking and opened the email. I was stunned, shocked, dismayed, and several other adjectives, which I can't remember right now, but I knew they were there too.
> 
> The shock was so pervasive, that I didn't even notice I had finished my diet dew. When finally the cloud of confusion lifted, I thought about the age we live in. Information is everywhere. We can spend our entire lives, twenty-four hours a day, reading and searching the web, and never fully grasp all that is there. It is for this reason that Twitter has thrived. It allows us to, with the help of others, find the good stuff. It has created a voice, a collective non-borg like voice, which helps us to see our world through the collective's eyes, and take in its wonderment in ways never before imagined.
> 
> In the not too distant past, a grievance would be suffered in silence, or if really unbearable, a letter would be written. This might help to heal the wound, but the bitterness and anger would never really subside. We have all read about customer service and how if we do something well, our customers will tell 2 -3 people, but if we do something poorly, they will tell 5- 9. Today I realized that is outdated. The blog piece 'Gnashing Teeth' has, to date, been read 289 times. I have effectively told 32.1 times the number of people, which the old model would have predicted. And I had only been blogging for 2 weeks. Think about a disgruntled Tweeterer with 1 million followers, they truly have a booming voice in the cyber world.
> 
> 
> 
> But this sword cuts both ways, for as we can complain, so we too can praise. The email was from Patricia A. Williamson, the Vice President of Fulfillment. She was wonderful. She had tried to get in touch with me yesterday, by leaving a message on my phone. I had yesterday off, and spent the day fiddling around with some hard maple. I hadn't noticed her message. When I read her incredibly kind and thoughtful email, I was turned from a grumpy goose into a giddy gander. (Ok, there wasn't really any sort of gender change, but in order to stay with today's alliteration them, I took some poetic license.) She had read my blog. I had thrown my voice out into the digital abyss, and my cries of frustration found their ways to Patricia. And she took action! My package is due to arrive sometime today. Patricia could have given the task of contacting me to an underlying. She could have stopped after leaving the message. She could have done nothing at all. What she did was to save me a trip across the thriving metropolis of Martelle, completely change my opinion of The Taunton Press, and give me a great idea for a blog.
> 
> Customer service matters. Business is a balancing act. In today's environment the scales can be tilted in your favor or not. If you handle customer service correctly, you will have a flock of happy customers. And if you don't, you will have an angry pack of blog eating your face off. (Note: That last bit was only funny if you have read 'Gnashing Teeth', and then only just barely.)
> 
> Thanks Patricia.


another great blog 
a really good point about the "tell two people who tell two people".

Congrats re: happy ending - well nearly ended. We'll be watching for the arrival of the treasures.

Good job Patricia.

(oh and good job LJ.com for making the wheels move)


----------



## Ecocandle

*My Days as a Ninja*



It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.

I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.

Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.

Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.



With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.



He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.



I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.

So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


I am beginning to get the nagging feeling that you are actually an itinerant creative writing professor temporarily banished to the heathen lands of Iowa to do penance for some tawdry affair with mixed metaphors … how else to explain the creativity day after day?


----------



## smartlikestick

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


Brilliance as always….


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


Nice


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


Great story! I love history! (even amusing fictional history).


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


Brian, this was certainly a creative blog and it was a nice read. In case you were not aware of it you are beginning to display signs of tool addiction. This condition must be treated by periodically adding a new tool to your shop. 

Nice score on the jigsaw. I have always had a great deal of respect for Festool tools but just have not had the "courage" to ask my wife for an advance on my allowance so that I could get some.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


Stefang, that was fictional????

I've heard the Steel City Tools has amazing packaging as well … just to let you know and to feed that addiction 

Great blog. Congrats on the new packaging… oh and the tool as well. And I'm impressed that you were able to remember the lesson from many lifetimes ago.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


It is so intriguing to see where this will all lead.

Love the read,
Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


Thanks for the comments all.

Yesterday, shortly after I posted the daily drivel, we lost power here in Martelle. It just came on at 7:37 am this morning. Wow it is cold in here. 57 degrees. The worst part is that I still haven't gotten to try my jigsaw. Oh well, after work today, barring another outage, I will give it a test drive.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


Well, what Brian failed to mention is that his next incarnation was in the 1800s as a Chinese migrant coal miner named Nianzu. He noticed his fellow miners using handpicks on the coal. Remembering his past experience with hand tools, he pulled out his Harbor Freight jackhammer. This scared his companions who warned him of the dangers of cheap power tools, so he relayed the story of Asuka and his past life experience with hand tools. "Who is Asuka?" his comrades replied. To which Nianzu said "He was a Ninja master!" His friends snickered and said "Dude! Ninja's are Japanese! What's wrong with you?" But Nianzu was confident that he knew better and started up his jackhammer. Unfortunately, the bit was not secure, due to a crappy chuck (which, ironically, was made in China) and the bit flew into the ceiling where it broke into an underground river bed. The mine filled up with water, killing all the miners in the process and wreaking great destruction on the earth.

That is why Brian is now incarnated into a town of low population, is focused on higher priced tools, and has developed a packaging fetish.

Great post Brian  Your creativity never fails to bring a smile to my face.

David


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


Your blogs are so amusing as to constitute an addiction in themselves.
However, I have my own, self inflicted, addiction.
It is in reference to tools (hooda guessed?) and their names. I'm required by the addiction to refer to tools by their proper names, much as I required my students in Vo-Tech to refer to me by my proper name, MISTER.

All this leads to my observation that you refer to your new, expensive Festool as "JIGSAW".
I know, I know, everybody, including the manufacturers, call them jigsaws. Please ask Roy Underhill, if you will what a jig saw is. He will then show you his.
It is a straight blade stretched between a spring above a table and a treadle driven wheel below. The blade is JIGGED up and down in a wobbly motion derived from its attachment to the wheel.

Please allow me to give the correct nomenclature for the tool you bought.
Its proper name is SABER SAW. You may refer to it as MISTER if you wish.

By the way, I didn't teach woodworking in Vo-Tech. I taught commercial art.

Thanks for your entertaining and addicting blogs.

db


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


you learn something new every day! 
Thanks Mr. Don "Dances with Wood" Butler


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


I must point out that the term 'saber saw' now really apply's only to the antique stuff Mr. Underhill uses. A saber tool can only be properly be used from horseback, and while I have a horse in my shop most woodworkers do not even if you do a modern jigsaw cannot be used from horseback unless you have really long extension cords.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


Can a modern jigsaw be used from the back of my metaphorical horse Ginger?


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *My Days as a Ninja*
> 
> 
> 
> It seemed like a long time ago. The year was 637 AD, and I was studying under the master Ninja and Carpenter, Sado Asuka. His philosophy was, 'To master the blade of the Ninja, one must master the tools of the Carpenter'. He said this often. We built a Shinto shrine in his back yard and a rumpus room, for his kids. It was strange that he spoke English, but I digress. One day I was using the hand tools, as I was told, practicing my Miyajim-tsugi, or as the master said, in his best East Anglia accent, 'halved oblique scarf joint', when an elder from the village told me that I was needed, to help build a defensive wall, to protect the village from a pending attack.
> 
> I followed him to the area where the wall had collapsed. Holding true to the teachings of Master Asuka, I used only my hand tools to meticulously cut and join the logs, even though there was a perfectly good Bosch circular saw a mere 5 meters away. Though I knew the circular saw would speed up the construction considerably, I held true to my teachings.
> 
> Before I had finished the wall, a horde of marauders attacked. Three people died, a dozen people, including myself were injured, and hundreds had their feelings hurt. My injuries were severe and I was to be carted, by ox, to another village, where I could receive better treatment for my wounds. It is unfortunate that on the trip, the ox got spooked and fell off the path, into the ironically named, Ox Death Crevasse, pulling me with him. Neither I nor the ox survived.
> 
> Many centuries later, when I was reincarnated, as a middle aged woodworker with delusions of blogger, I would remember the error of my ways. It is important to master my hand tools, but it is equally important to get into the habit of finishing projects in a reasonable amount of time.
> 
> 
> 
> With the memory of my ill fated wall project and the succeeding oxen cart death ride on my mind, I thought about how I might complete the feet on my Krenov saw horses. I also realized that it had been seven days since I had purchased a tool. Seven! In some parts of the country that is almost a week!
> Though I had considered ordering some chisels, I made the decision to buy a jigsaw instead. Off to Acme tools I went. They had many jigsaws and I had looked at them all before. I have researched jigsaws and already knew that I wanted the Festool PSB 300 EQ-Plus. They have this tool and I asked the sales person about it. He pointed out several features that I wasn't aware of and the deal was done. I bought it. This is not the story of my new jigsaw, but the story of its packaging.
> 
> 
> 
> He went to the back and got my jigsaw. It comes in a hard plastic case. The handle is in the middle of the lid. It looks strange, but it is actually very comfortable to carry. The latches are heavy duty and fasten securely. The case is molded in such a way that it is stackable. Apparently they have designed the outside of their tool cases to fit together with one another. So if I later purchase their random orbital sander, and I likely will, the case will stack neatly on top of the jigsaw. There are also slide up latches that allows one to connect the cases together, so they don't fall off, if you are pulling them on a cart. Should I also decide to buy one of their uber cool dust collectors, the top of the dust collector is designed for the tools to sit on it, and because it has wheels, you can cart your tools around together.
> 
> 
> 
> I love brilliant packaging. I haven't been this excited about the packaging of a product, since I worked at GEICO, "Where a 15 minutes could save you 15% on your auto insurance.", and a friend showed me the new iPod. He called it a Nano. I had to have one. This was my first iPod. I still have the iPod and the packaging. I believe that the packaging is a good indicator of the quality inside. I know, you can't always judge a book by its cover, but if a company puts so much time, thought and engineering into the case, it is reasonable that they probably spent some time building a pretty good tool too.
> 
> So I will finish up my saw horse feet with my jigsaw. The practicing of cutting with my Japanese hand saw will continue. And I will mourn the loss of the villagers and the ox that perished because of my unwillingness to use the right tool for the right job.


if ginger is an old plug ,

you should be o.k.

blindfolded zen scroll work ,

on a galloping hobby horse !


----------



## Ecocandle

*Angry Beaver*



Last evening, as if some mysterious and mischievous deity were looking in on me and saw how giddy I was over my new Festool PSB 300EQ, the power went out. Not just a little outage, one where the deity could chuckle for a few minutes as I sit in the dark with my unusable power tool, but a major 'the house gets really cold' outage. I went to bed. It was warm. I thought about using my new saw.

At 7:37 am the electricity flowed into the house, bringing with it heat, computing power, and more importantly a working microwave. Much as I love woodworking, it pales in comparison to how much I love breakfast. I made a turkey bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Why turkey bacon you ask? Well it is certainly less tasty than regular bacon, but it is healthier, and choosing it over the good stuff, makes my mom happy. Hi Mom (She reads my blog). I would worry about reading the instructions for the PSB 300EQ after work.

If I were still in my youth, I would just fire it up, but I am old and I feel much less invincible. I read the instructions, especially the parts on safety, sometimes twice. I usually learn something. The safety section told me how it is important to have the correct cross section on the extension cord. They also explained the speed to use for different types of materials. The third thing I learned, and it is likely something that every reader, except my mom, already knew. With the right blade, and the speed set between 2 and 4, my FSB 300EQ can cut steel up to 10 mm thick. Steel cutting is very cool. The 3/8 threaded rod, which I used in my workbench and cut by hand with a hack saw, would have quaked in the presence of my jigsaw/saber saw (note: There seems to be some disagreement as to what I should be calling the PSB 300EQ, I call her Marey. Marey is a dentist and has great teeth. It was funny to me.)

So I grabbed Marey by the hand(le) and we sauntered downstairs to the waiting hard maple. Marking the three remaining feet was easy, as I used the first one as a guide. I cleared off the workbench, so that my workspace was clutter free, as per the instructions. Then it was show time. I pressed Marey's trigger, engaged the trigger lock, and she began to hum. I gently eased Marey into the hard maple and she started cutting like an angry beaver on a damn mission. I have only used a jigsaw/sabre saw once, and it was a really old model with a dull blade. Marey is shiny and new and her teeth are razor sharp. The difference was noticeable.



My first foot came out looking fair. I decided to make the small and much easier angled cuts with my Japanese hand saws, as I do like getting the practice, and use Marey for the rip cut. This worked really well. With each cut I became less and less intimidated by Marey and her power. The final foot went the smoothest as I applied a little bit of downward pressure and she handled beautifully. Like all of the tools that preceded the Festool PSB 300EQ named Marey, it takes practice to become good.



With the cutting done, I unplugged Marey, and she sat on the bench top. It was obvious that we were both very pleased with ourselves. I told her I needed to photograph her and the cuts she had made, for the blog. She said it was ok, but afterwards she was going shoe shopping.
!
To assess the results, I would say I am delighted. The cuts, including the ones on the edge, will need to be cleaned up with a chisel, which I am more than comfortable doing. Someday I will have a table saw, which will be more accurate than a hand tool, but I am fine with the extra bit of work right now. In the close up photo, the top foot is the one that I have already cleaned. I am so glad I have taken the time to learn how to use my chisels, because had I started by cutting with Marey, I would have been clueless how to get the feet to the exact way I want them. This would have caused all sorts of frustration and likely diminished the fun I am having with woodworking. This experience with Marey has also reinforced my belief that high quality tools are worth the money.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Beaver*
> 
> 
> 
> Last evening, as if some mysterious and mischievous deity were looking in on me and saw how giddy I was over my new Festool PSB 300EQ, the power went out. Not just a little outage, one where the deity could chuckle for a few minutes as I sit in the dark with my unusable power tool, but a major 'the house gets really cold' outage. I went to bed. It was warm. I thought about using my new saw.
> 
> At 7:37 am the electricity flowed into the house, bringing with it heat, computing power, and more importantly a working microwave. Much as I love woodworking, it pales in comparison to how much I love breakfast. I made a turkey bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Why turkey bacon you ask? Well it is certainly less tasty than regular bacon, but it is healthier, and choosing it over the good stuff, makes my mom happy. Hi Mom (She reads my blog). I would worry about reading the instructions for the PSB 300EQ after work.
> 
> If I were still in my youth, I would just fire it up, but I am old and I feel much less invincible. I read the instructions, especially the parts on safety, sometimes twice. I usually learn something. The safety section told me how it is important to have the correct cross section on the extension cord. They also explained the speed to use for different types of materials. The third thing I learned, and it is likely something that every reader, except my mom, already knew. With the right blade, and the speed set between 2 and 4, my FSB 300EQ can cut steel up to 10 mm thick. Steel cutting is very cool. The 3/8 threaded rod, which I used in my workbench and cut by hand with a hack saw, would have quaked in the presence of my jigsaw/saber saw (note: There seems to be some disagreement as to what I should be calling the PSB 300EQ, I call her Marey. Marey is a dentist and has great teeth. It was funny to me.)
> 
> So I grabbed Marey by the hand(le) and we sauntered downstairs to the waiting hard maple. Marking the three remaining feet was easy, as I used the first one as a guide. I cleared off the workbench, so that my workspace was clutter free, as per the instructions. Then it was show time. I pressed Marey's trigger, engaged the trigger lock, and she began to hum. I gently eased Marey into the hard maple and she started cutting like an angry beaver on a damn mission. I have only used a jigsaw/sabre saw once, and it was a really old model with a dull blade. Marey is shiny and new and her teeth are razor sharp. The difference was noticeable.
> 
> 
> 
> My first foot came out looking fair. I decided to make the small and much easier angled cuts with my Japanese hand saws, as I do like getting the practice, and use Marey for the rip cut. This worked really well. With each cut I became less and less intimidated by Marey and her power. The final foot went the smoothest as I applied a little bit of downward pressure and she handled beautifully. Like all of the tools that preceded the Festool PSB 300EQ named Marey, it takes practice to become good.
> 
> 
> 
> With the cutting done, I unplugged Marey, and she sat on the bench top. It was obvious that we were both very pleased with ourselves. I told her I needed to photograph her and the cuts she had made, for the blog. She said it was ok, but afterwards she was going shoe shopping.
> !
> To assess the results, I would say I am delighted. The cuts, including the ones on the edge, will need to be cleaned up with a chisel, which I am more than comfortable doing. Someday I will have a table saw, which will be more accurate than a hand tool, but I am fine with the extra bit of work right now. In the close up photo, the top foot is the one that I have already cleaned. I am so glad I have taken the time to learn how to use my chisels, because had I started by cutting with Marey, I would have been clueless how to get the feet to the exact way I want them. This would have caused all sorts of frustration and likely diminished the fun I am having with woodworking. This experience with Marey has also reinforced my belief that high quality tools are worth the money.


I agree with you Brian about high quality tools being worth their price, and that is especially true when it comes to to
saber saws. Your comment about metal cutting was worth mentioning. I don't have a high quality saber saw, but I do use the one I have to cut metal with. I have also used a metal saw blade in my band saw and that works, but I like the saber saw for metal cutting better because I seldom cut metal and it's cheaper and easier to change blades in that case.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Beaver*
> 
> 
> 
> Last evening, as if some mysterious and mischievous deity were looking in on me and saw how giddy I was over my new Festool PSB 300EQ, the power went out. Not just a little outage, one where the deity could chuckle for a few minutes as I sit in the dark with my unusable power tool, but a major 'the house gets really cold' outage. I went to bed. It was warm. I thought about using my new saw.
> 
> At 7:37 am the electricity flowed into the house, bringing with it heat, computing power, and more importantly a working microwave. Much as I love woodworking, it pales in comparison to how much I love breakfast. I made a turkey bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Why turkey bacon you ask? Well it is certainly less tasty than regular bacon, but it is healthier, and choosing it over the good stuff, makes my mom happy. Hi Mom (She reads my blog). I would worry about reading the instructions for the PSB 300EQ after work.
> 
> If I were still in my youth, I would just fire it up, but I am old and I feel much less invincible. I read the instructions, especially the parts on safety, sometimes twice. I usually learn something. The safety section told me how it is important to have the correct cross section on the extension cord. They also explained the speed to use for different types of materials. The third thing I learned, and it is likely something that every reader, except my mom, already knew. With the right blade, and the speed set between 2 and 4, my FSB 300EQ can cut steel up to 10 mm thick. Steel cutting is very cool. The 3/8 threaded rod, which I used in my workbench and cut by hand with a hack saw, would have quaked in the presence of my jigsaw/saber saw (note: There seems to be some disagreement as to what I should be calling the PSB 300EQ, I call her Marey. Marey is a dentist and has great teeth. It was funny to me.)
> 
> So I grabbed Marey by the hand(le) and we sauntered downstairs to the waiting hard maple. Marking the three remaining feet was easy, as I used the first one as a guide. I cleared off the workbench, so that my workspace was clutter free, as per the instructions. Then it was show time. I pressed Marey's trigger, engaged the trigger lock, and she began to hum. I gently eased Marey into the hard maple and she started cutting like an angry beaver on a damn mission. I have only used a jigsaw/sabre saw once, and it was a really old model with a dull blade. Marey is shiny and new and her teeth are razor sharp. The difference was noticeable.
> 
> 
> 
> My first foot came out looking fair. I decided to make the small and much easier angled cuts with my Japanese hand saws, as I do like getting the practice, and use Marey for the rip cut. This worked really well. With each cut I became less and less intimidated by Marey and her power. The final foot went the smoothest as I applied a little bit of downward pressure and she handled beautifully. Like all of the tools that preceded the Festool PSB 300EQ named Marey, it takes practice to become good.
> 
> 
> 
> With the cutting done, I unplugged Marey, and she sat on the bench top. It was obvious that we were both very pleased with ourselves. I told her I needed to photograph her and the cuts she had made, for the blog. She said it was ok, but afterwards she was going shoe shopping.
> !
> To assess the results, I would say I am delighted. The cuts, including the ones on the edge, will need to be cleaned up with a chisel, which I am more than comfortable doing. Someday I will have a table saw, which will be more accurate than a hand tool, but I am fine with the extra bit of work right now. In the close up photo, the top foot is the one that I have already cleaned. I am so glad I have taken the time to learn how to use my chisels, because had I started by cutting with Marey, I would have been clueless how to get the feet to the exact way I want them. This would have caused all sorts of frustration and likely diminished the fun I am having with woodworking. This experience with Marey has also reinforced my belief that high quality tools are worth the money.


Hello Marey - pleased to meet you.
Hello Mom-pleased to meet you, also.. hmm perhaps I should have said "hi" to you first.. well, the blog really was about Marey, so I guess I'll leave it as is. 
Oh and "hi Brian" 

another great blog. I enjoy following your enjoyment!


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Beaver*
> 
> 
> 
> Last evening, as if some mysterious and mischievous deity were looking in on me and saw how giddy I was over my new Festool PSB 300EQ, the power went out. Not just a little outage, one where the deity could chuckle for a few minutes as I sit in the dark with my unusable power tool, but a major 'the house gets really cold' outage. I went to bed. It was warm. I thought about using my new saw.
> 
> At 7:37 am the electricity flowed into the house, bringing with it heat, computing power, and more importantly a working microwave. Much as I love woodworking, it pales in comparison to how much I love breakfast. I made a turkey bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Why turkey bacon you ask? Well it is certainly less tasty than regular bacon, but it is healthier, and choosing it over the good stuff, makes my mom happy. Hi Mom (She reads my blog). I would worry about reading the instructions for the PSB 300EQ after work.
> 
> If I were still in my youth, I would just fire it up, but I am old and I feel much less invincible. I read the instructions, especially the parts on safety, sometimes twice. I usually learn something. The safety section told me how it is important to have the correct cross section on the extension cord. They also explained the speed to use for different types of materials. The third thing I learned, and it is likely something that every reader, except my mom, already knew. With the right blade, and the speed set between 2 and 4, my FSB 300EQ can cut steel up to 10 mm thick. Steel cutting is very cool. The 3/8 threaded rod, which I used in my workbench and cut by hand with a hack saw, would have quaked in the presence of my jigsaw/saber saw (note: There seems to be some disagreement as to what I should be calling the PSB 300EQ, I call her Marey. Marey is a dentist and has great teeth. It was funny to me.)
> 
> So I grabbed Marey by the hand(le) and we sauntered downstairs to the waiting hard maple. Marking the three remaining feet was easy, as I used the first one as a guide. I cleared off the workbench, so that my workspace was clutter free, as per the instructions. Then it was show time. I pressed Marey's trigger, engaged the trigger lock, and she began to hum. I gently eased Marey into the hard maple and she started cutting like an angry beaver on a damn mission. I have only used a jigsaw/sabre saw once, and it was a really old model with a dull blade. Marey is shiny and new and her teeth are razor sharp. The difference was noticeable.
> 
> 
> 
> My first foot came out looking fair. I decided to make the small and much easier angled cuts with my Japanese hand saws, as I do like getting the practice, and use Marey for the rip cut. This worked really well. With each cut I became less and less intimidated by Marey and her power. The final foot went the smoothest as I applied a little bit of downward pressure and she handled beautifully. Like all of the tools that preceded the Festool PSB 300EQ named Marey, it takes practice to become good.
> 
> 
> 
> With the cutting done, I unplugged Marey, and she sat on the bench top. It was obvious that we were both very pleased with ourselves. I told her I needed to photograph her and the cuts she had made, for the blog. She said it was ok, but afterwards she was going shoe shopping.
> !
> To assess the results, I would say I am delighted. The cuts, including the ones on the edge, will need to be cleaned up with a chisel, which I am more than comfortable doing. Someday I will have a table saw, which will be more accurate than a hand tool, but I am fine with the extra bit of work right now. In the close up photo, the top foot is the one that I have already cleaned. I am so glad I have taken the time to learn how to use my chisels, because had I started by cutting with Marey, I would have been clueless how to get the feet to the exact way I want them. This would have caused all sorts of frustration and likely diminished the fun I am having with woodworking. This experience with Marey has also reinforced my belief that high quality tools are worth the money.


Brian, you are a far more patient person than I am. Whenever I get a new tool I am like a 10 year old at Christmas. I can't seem to get it out of the packaging quick enough and fire it up. I might even read the directions later. 

It looks like you are having fun with the jigsaw and I completely agree with Mike's comment about the relationship between a tool's cost and its quality.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Beaver*
> 
> 
> 
> Last evening, as if some mysterious and mischievous deity were looking in on me and saw how giddy I was over my new Festool PSB 300EQ, the power went out. Not just a little outage, one where the deity could chuckle for a few minutes as I sit in the dark with my unusable power tool, but a major 'the house gets really cold' outage. I went to bed. It was warm. I thought about using my new saw.
> 
> At 7:37 am the electricity flowed into the house, bringing with it heat, computing power, and more importantly a working microwave. Much as I love woodworking, it pales in comparison to how much I love breakfast. I made a turkey bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Why turkey bacon you ask? Well it is certainly less tasty than regular bacon, but it is healthier, and choosing it over the good stuff, makes my mom happy. Hi Mom (She reads my blog). I would worry about reading the instructions for the PSB 300EQ after work.
> 
> If I were still in my youth, I would just fire it up, but I am old and I feel much less invincible. I read the instructions, especially the parts on safety, sometimes twice. I usually learn something. The safety section told me how it is important to have the correct cross section on the extension cord. They also explained the speed to use for different types of materials. The third thing I learned, and it is likely something that every reader, except my mom, already knew. With the right blade, and the speed set between 2 and 4, my FSB 300EQ can cut steel up to 10 mm thick. Steel cutting is very cool. The 3/8 threaded rod, which I used in my workbench and cut by hand with a hack saw, would have quaked in the presence of my jigsaw/saber saw (note: There seems to be some disagreement as to what I should be calling the PSB 300EQ, I call her Marey. Marey is a dentist and has great teeth. It was funny to me.)
> 
> So I grabbed Marey by the hand(le) and we sauntered downstairs to the waiting hard maple. Marking the three remaining feet was easy, as I used the first one as a guide. I cleared off the workbench, so that my workspace was clutter free, as per the instructions. Then it was show time. I pressed Marey's trigger, engaged the trigger lock, and she began to hum. I gently eased Marey into the hard maple and she started cutting like an angry beaver on a damn mission. I have only used a jigsaw/sabre saw once, and it was a really old model with a dull blade. Marey is shiny and new and her teeth are razor sharp. The difference was noticeable.
> 
> 
> 
> My first foot came out looking fair. I decided to make the small and much easier angled cuts with my Japanese hand saws, as I do like getting the practice, and use Marey for the rip cut. This worked really well. With each cut I became less and less intimidated by Marey and her power. The final foot went the smoothest as I applied a little bit of downward pressure and she handled beautifully. Like all of the tools that preceded the Festool PSB 300EQ named Marey, it takes practice to become good.
> 
> 
> 
> With the cutting done, I unplugged Marey, and she sat on the bench top. It was obvious that we were both very pleased with ourselves. I told her I needed to photograph her and the cuts she had made, for the blog. She said it was ok, but afterwards she was going shoe shopping.
> !
> To assess the results, I would say I am delighted. The cuts, including the ones on the edge, will need to be cleaned up with a chisel, which I am more than comfortable doing. Someday I will have a table saw, which will be more accurate than a hand tool, but I am fine with the extra bit of work right now. In the close up photo, the top foot is the one that I have already cleaned. I am so glad I have taken the time to learn how to use my chisels, because had I started by cutting with Marey, I would have been clueless how to get the feet to the exact way I want them. This would have caused all sorts of frustration and likely diminished the fun I am having with woodworking. This experience with Marey has also reinforced my belief that high quality tools are worth the money.


*READING THE INSTRUCTION BOOK?????*

Really! Brian, you may be the first person I have ever heard of (with the possible exception of Oprah) who reads the instruction book BEFORE actually plugging in and turning on a new tool.

I don't even do that with computers.

You're a brave man, Brian Meeks. 

db


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Beaver*
> 
> 
> 
> Last evening, as if some mysterious and mischievous deity were looking in on me and saw how giddy I was over my new Festool PSB 300EQ, the power went out. Not just a little outage, one where the deity could chuckle for a few minutes as I sit in the dark with my unusable power tool, but a major 'the house gets really cold' outage. I went to bed. It was warm. I thought about using my new saw.
> 
> At 7:37 am the electricity flowed into the house, bringing with it heat, computing power, and more importantly a working microwave. Much as I love woodworking, it pales in comparison to how much I love breakfast. I made a turkey bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Why turkey bacon you ask? Well it is certainly less tasty than regular bacon, but it is healthier, and choosing it over the good stuff, makes my mom happy. Hi Mom (She reads my blog). I would worry about reading the instructions for the PSB 300EQ after work.
> 
> If I were still in my youth, I would just fire it up, but I am old and I feel much less invincible. I read the instructions, especially the parts on safety, sometimes twice. I usually learn something. The safety section told me how it is important to have the correct cross section on the extension cord. They also explained the speed to use for different types of materials. The third thing I learned, and it is likely something that every reader, except my mom, already knew. With the right blade, and the speed set between 2 and 4, my FSB 300EQ can cut steel up to 10 mm thick. Steel cutting is very cool. The 3/8 threaded rod, which I used in my workbench and cut by hand with a hack saw, would have quaked in the presence of my jigsaw/saber saw (note: There seems to be some disagreement as to what I should be calling the PSB 300EQ, I call her Marey. Marey is a dentist and has great teeth. It was funny to me.)
> 
> So I grabbed Marey by the hand(le) and we sauntered downstairs to the waiting hard maple. Marking the three remaining feet was easy, as I used the first one as a guide. I cleared off the workbench, so that my workspace was clutter free, as per the instructions. Then it was show time. I pressed Marey's trigger, engaged the trigger lock, and she began to hum. I gently eased Marey into the hard maple and she started cutting like an angry beaver on a damn mission. I have only used a jigsaw/sabre saw once, and it was a really old model with a dull blade. Marey is shiny and new and her teeth are razor sharp. The difference was noticeable.
> 
> 
> 
> My first foot came out looking fair. I decided to make the small and much easier angled cuts with my Japanese hand saws, as I do like getting the practice, and use Marey for the rip cut. This worked really well. With each cut I became less and less intimidated by Marey and her power. The final foot went the smoothest as I applied a little bit of downward pressure and she handled beautifully. Like all of the tools that preceded the Festool PSB 300EQ named Marey, it takes practice to become good.
> 
> 
> 
> With the cutting done, I unplugged Marey, and she sat on the bench top. It was obvious that we were both very pleased with ourselves. I told her I needed to photograph her and the cuts she had made, for the blog. She said it was ok, but afterwards she was going shoe shopping.
> !
> To assess the results, I would say I am delighted. The cuts, including the ones on the edge, will need to be cleaned up with a chisel, which I am more than comfortable doing. Someday I will have a table saw, which will be more accurate than a hand tool, but I am fine with the extra bit of work right now. In the close up photo, the top foot is the one that I have already cleaned. I am so glad I have taken the time to learn how to use my chisels, because had I started by cutting with Marey, I would have been clueless how to get the feet to the exact way I want them. This would have caused all sorts of frustration and likely diminished the fun I am having with woodworking. This experience with Marey has also reinforced my belief that high quality tools are worth the money.


Don,

I would NEVER read the instructions with a computer. That would be wrong.

Brian


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Beaver*
> 
> 
> 
> Last evening, as if some mysterious and mischievous deity were looking in on me and saw how giddy I was over my new Festool PSB 300EQ, the power went out. Not just a little outage, one where the deity could chuckle for a few minutes as I sit in the dark with my unusable power tool, but a major 'the house gets really cold' outage. I went to bed. It was warm. I thought about using my new saw.
> 
> At 7:37 am the electricity flowed into the house, bringing with it heat, computing power, and more importantly a working microwave. Much as I love woodworking, it pales in comparison to how much I love breakfast. I made a turkey bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Why turkey bacon you ask? Well it is certainly less tasty than regular bacon, but it is healthier, and choosing it over the good stuff, makes my mom happy. Hi Mom (She reads my blog). I would worry about reading the instructions for the PSB 300EQ after work.
> 
> If I were still in my youth, I would just fire it up, but I am old and I feel much less invincible. I read the instructions, especially the parts on safety, sometimes twice. I usually learn something. The safety section told me how it is important to have the correct cross section on the extension cord. They also explained the speed to use for different types of materials. The third thing I learned, and it is likely something that every reader, except my mom, already knew. With the right blade, and the speed set between 2 and 4, my FSB 300EQ can cut steel up to 10 mm thick. Steel cutting is very cool. The 3/8 threaded rod, which I used in my workbench and cut by hand with a hack saw, would have quaked in the presence of my jigsaw/saber saw (note: There seems to be some disagreement as to what I should be calling the PSB 300EQ, I call her Marey. Marey is a dentist and has great teeth. It was funny to me.)
> 
> So I grabbed Marey by the hand(le) and we sauntered downstairs to the waiting hard maple. Marking the three remaining feet was easy, as I used the first one as a guide. I cleared off the workbench, so that my workspace was clutter free, as per the instructions. Then it was show time. I pressed Marey's trigger, engaged the trigger lock, and she began to hum. I gently eased Marey into the hard maple and she started cutting like an angry beaver on a damn mission. I have only used a jigsaw/sabre saw once, and it was a really old model with a dull blade. Marey is shiny and new and her teeth are razor sharp. The difference was noticeable.
> 
> 
> 
> My first foot came out looking fair. I decided to make the small and much easier angled cuts with my Japanese hand saws, as I do like getting the practice, and use Marey for the rip cut. This worked really well. With each cut I became less and less intimidated by Marey and her power. The final foot went the smoothest as I applied a little bit of downward pressure and she handled beautifully. Like all of the tools that preceded the Festool PSB 300EQ named Marey, it takes practice to become good.
> 
> 
> 
> With the cutting done, I unplugged Marey, and she sat on the bench top. It was obvious that we were both very pleased with ourselves. I told her I needed to photograph her and the cuts she had made, for the blog. She said it was ok, but afterwards she was going shoe shopping.
> !
> To assess the results, I would say I am delighted. The cuts, including the ones on the edge, will need to be cleaned up with a chisel, which I am more than comfortable doing. Someday I will have a table saw, which will be more accurate than a hand tool, but I am fine with the extra bit of work right now. In the close up photo, the top foot is the one that I have already cleaned. I am so glad I have taken the time to learn how to use my chisels, because had I started by cutting with Marey, I would have been clueless how to get the feet to the exact way I want them. This would have caused all sorts of frustration and likely diminished the fun I am having with woodworking. This experience with Marey has also reinforced my belief that high quality tools are worth the money.


Modern jigsaws are really sweet. (Both Festool and Bosch call them jigsaws, so you can too.) I could not believe the difference when I bought a good one, as compared to the $29 one that I had. These things can aggressively eat up wood, or just do a gentle cut.

Steve


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Beaver*
> 
> 
> 
> Last evening, as if some mysterious and mischievous deity were looking in on me and saw how giddy I was over my new Festool PSB 300EQ, the power went out. Not just a little outage, one where the deity could chuckle for a few minutes as I sit in the dark with my unusable power tool, but a major 'the house gets really cold' outage. I went to bed. It was warm. I thought about using my new saw.
> 
> At 7:37 am the electricity flowed into the house, bringing with it heat, computing power, and more importantly a working microwave. Much as I love woodworking, it pales in comparison to how much I love breakfast. I made a turkey bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Why turkey bacon you ask? Well it is certainly less tasty than regular bacon, but it is healthier, and choosing it over the good stuff, makes my mom happy. Hi Mom (She reads my blog). I would worry about reading the instructions for the PSB 300EQ after work.
> 
> If I were still in my youth, I would just fire it up, but I am old and I feel much less invincible. I read the instructions, especially the parts on safety, sometimes twice. I usually learn something. The safety section told me how it is important to have the correct cross section on the extension cord. They also explained the speed to use for different types of materials. The third thing I learned, and it is likely something that every reader, except my mom, already knew. With the right blade, and the speed set between 2 and 4, my FSB 300EQ can cut steel up to 10 mm thick. Steel cutting is very cool. The 3/8 threaded rod, which I used in my workbench and cut by hand with a hack saw, would have quaked in the presence of my jigsaw/saber saw (note: There seems to be some disagreement as to what I should be calling the PSB 300EQ, I call her Marey. Marey is a dentist and has great teeth. It was funny to me.)
> 
> So I grabbed Marey by the hand(le) and we sauntered downstairs to the waiting hard maple. Marking the three remaining feet was easy, as I used the first one as a guide. I cleared off the workbench, so that my workspace was clutter free, as per the instructions. Then it was show time. I pressed Marey's trigger, engaged the trigger lock, and she began to hum. I gently eased Marey into the hard maple and she started cutting like an angry beaver on a damn mission. I have only used a jigsaw/sabre saw once, and it was a really old model with a dull blade. Marey is shiny and new and her teeth are razor sharp. The difference was noticeable.
> 
> 
> 
> My first foot came out looking fair. I decided to make the small and much easier angled cuts with my Japanese hand saws, as I do like getting the practice, and use Marey for the rip cut. This worked really well. With each cut I became less and less intimidated by Marey and her power. The final foot went the smoothest as I applied a little bit of downward pressure and she handled beautifully. Like all of the tools that preceded the Festool PSB 300EQ named Marey, it takes practice to become good.
> 
> 
> 
> With the cutting done, I unplugged Marey, and she sat on the bench top. It was obvious that we were both very pleased with ourselves. I told her I needed to photograph her and the cuts she had made, for the blog. She said it was ok, but afterwards she was going shoe shopping.
> !
> To assess the results, I would say I am delighted. The cuts, including the ones on the edge, will need to be cleaned up with a chisel, which I am more than comfortable doing. Someday I will have a table saw, which will be more accurate than a hand tool, but I am fine with the extra bit of work right now. In the close up photo, the top foot is the one that I have already cleaned. I am so glad I have taken the time to learn how to use my chisels, because had I started by cutting with Marey, I would have been clueless how to get the feet to the exact way I want them. This would have caused all sorts of frustration and likely diminished the fun I am having with woodworking. This experience with Marey has also reinforced my belief that high quality tools are worth the money.


I think that Brian is an even braver man by mentioning angry beaver and mom in the same blog entry.

I have a Bosch. She cuts like butter. She has not told me her name yet. I think she is playing coy. She was so self aware (like Skynet?) that I did not have to read her instructions book.

I agree with you. I RTFM for my tools, but never a computer. Except in the days when you had to move the pins around for the IRQs….


----------



## Ecocandle

*She Took My Breath Away*



Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.

I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"

Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.

I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."

She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"

She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."

We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!

She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."

Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.

I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.



Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


I do like it. I am amazed at how much cleaner the air is already. It has only been running since I started writing the blog piece. I didn't realize how dirty my air was, until I cleaned it.


----------



## chuck66

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


ok, I finally have to ask. Just what line of business are you in that provides you the spare time for such extensive blogging and woodworking? More to the point, how can I join?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Chuck. I work, doing social media and customer relations for PreferredVendor.com. We are a SaaS (Software as a Service) company. Our new online recruiting tool is in beta and is designed to help HR Managers and Recruiters manage their relationships with staffing agencies.

The answer to the time question is a bit tougher. I started exercising, using the Wii Fit Plus on Dec 22. I have lost 10 lbs, and am sleeping about 3 less hours per night. I was horribly out of shape, obviously, and now that I am getting healthier, I have more energy. Basically, the extra 3 hours, has given me the time to add blogging and the photography of blog stuff to my day.

....or maybe I am an alien with a time machine…I will let you decide which answer you like better. On an unrelated note, the ebony is plentiful on Xrsis 6, and actually costs less than 3 globats/bd ft.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


A lady who speaks French, loves photography, and cares about your air filtration? I would suggest looking for her and writing "Marry Me" on your receipt and handing it to her. My first wife would not have let me get an air cleaner if my basement had the toxicity level of a chamber in Auschwitz 

Congrats on your purchase and glad you are happy with it.

David


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


thank´s for the story I always had thought those story´s only cuold have two endings the great happy
and the sad you nearly made but to turn this in to a three happy ending´s (sea/talk to a beuityful/interresting
women that has knowledge of what you do, learned a lesson and geting fresh air is realy a lot to accomplish
in just a few hours. my hat of for you sir

Dennis


----------



## Trikzter

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Thanks for another great blog Brian.


----------



## Jimthecarver

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


I really love reading your blogs. A smile comes to my face and thinking how could you let such a catch get away?
I do believe somtimes our short meeting are mear tools to help us along our way in life.
You never know she may come back into your life and take a look at your wood.
Thanks for sharing how you come to have yourself a new filtration system.
Jim


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Jim,

I am glad you enjoyed today's blog. The wonderful thing about writing, is that if I want there to be a mountain in Iowa, or a French lingere model, hanging out at the Dublin, I can make it come true. Had there really been a woman similar to Sherri, I would have probably run away long before I learned of the tragic dust related death of her father…Women are mysterious and scary…especially the lingere models.

For the record: The Dublin Underground is real, I do always drink an RC without a straw, and the mountain pictured, is actually a little ways from Iowa City…the picture was taken just outside of Ketchikan Alaska in June.

Brian


----------



## jordan

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Tell me, is the Wii fit boring like an aerobics video workout or is it challenging? Not for me but my wife was thinking about it. You are a fabulous writer! Congrats on the 10 pounds.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


The story of my Wii Fit Plus is a good one. The weather was miserable here in Iowa and predicted to get worse, so on Dec 22nd I headed up to Des Moines, to my parents place, lest I be trapped and unable to see them for Christmas. I knew that I needed to get some exercise and I have coveted the Wii for a couple of years. So when I arrived and mentioned that I wanted to run into town, they actually live in Polk City, a small town near Des Moines, and pick up a Wii. That morning my father had seen an ad for a combo pack which included the Wii Fit Plus disk and Balance board. Off we went.

That night, I was not only enjoying my new video game console, but I got mom and dad to try it out too. The next day Dad and I went back and bought one for him and mom.

The Wii Fit Plus, with the balance board, makes exercising a joy. There are arobics that one can do, but there are also 60 or so other games that work different parts of the body. Since I returned from my parents place, I have put in over 30 hours of playing on my Wii. It is a blast and is done is such a way that exercising is fun. I have 2 games, that are not exercise related, and though they are also really fun, I prefer the ones that came with the Wii Fit.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


You had me going until you mentioned her name … I'm positive that it was Sherri Seurat doing adductor crunches next to me a the gym this afternoon! Or, maybe she said we could go get a sherry in her Fiat-I was having trouble concentrating as well.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Brian, Do you already have a router? Seems like you'd get a lot of bang for your buck out of one of those (and I don't think you should even feel the need to buy Festool-unless you really want to).

Bill


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Very entertaining and enlightening Brian. I can't help wondering how the story would have ended if you had purchased that air filtration system before going for your RC. I guess the moral of the story is that we should buy our woodworking stuff before doing anything else.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Brian,
I thought that might be you in the Dublin, or The Dub as we say, but I thought I'd look foolish or worse if I just walked up and said, "Hello, are you Brian?", or something like that.

I guess I missed Sherri, but I did see you chatting up that older woman at the bar, the one with the street crossing guard's reflective vest. She looked like she could have used some time on a Wii Fit Plus herself. I was a little shocked when she swore loudly and slapped you, stalking (or waddling to be precise) up the steps and out the door.
There was the sound of a large diesel engine and of a big pickup truck peeling rubber.

Well, I'm glad you finally met Sherri. It was good that she gave you good advice about the air cleaner.

db


----------



## woodchic

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


You cracked me up this morning…..................Great little story to remind us all that we need to take care of our lungs and to buy a good filtration system such as the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System. They need to make a commercial from this!!

AKA…...........Woodchic


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Don,

I think the older woman was before Sherri and the crossing guard was just a little offended when Brian suggested she get Wii fit 

And Brian, next time you go to a meeting and someone tells you that there is no "I in team" you can remind them that, while that may be true, there are two I's in Wii


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


I, for one, don't buy that "social media and customer relations" stuff. I think the "Alien with a time machine" crack is probably more truth than fiction.

Whose picture is that in your blog head? I saw you at the Dub, and that definitely isn't you.

You with your RC without a straw. It sure wasn't without that double of Jack in it!

I'm glad you got that Wii. You could use the loss of about 30 pounds. No wonder you tried to get next to that crossing guard lady. (Mmmm, perhaps not a lady, considering her language when slapping your face.)

Is your office upstairs from the Dub? You seem to spend a lot of time there. And by the way, the waitress is really tired of you sitting there so long and leaving a stingy tip.

Well, next time I see you there I probably won't say hello. After this post you might do something unfriendly.

db


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Don,

I wouldn't do anything unfriendly…wait…does your species like it when their brains get melted with rancid poetry…or was that the Vogons?

Brian


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Brian, you are obviously a Doug Adams fan…


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


2 points for David Craig…nice catch on the reference. It is my second Adams reference in this blog, did you catch the first? It was more of a stylistic reference to one of his books, and was in one of my earlier posts.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


I didn't catch the first one, but the rancid poetry brain melt definitely caught my attention. I read his trilogy of four books  a number of years ago. I enjoyed the holistic detective series as well. I never got fully into the Sci Fi world but I did enjoy some of the satires in the genre. I read Red Dwarf a long time ago and I remember finding that one very enjoyable.


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Fun and interesting Blog . The thing about the jet air filtration system that you bought is that the dust is already in the air it's meant as a secondary system not as a primary one. But it's better than none.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Jim,

I figured I would wait to get a dust collection system until I get something to hook it to. I don't have anything but hand tools right now, and I think it might be overkill to hook a Delta 50-760 1.5 Horsepower 1200 DFM Verticl Bag Dust Collector to my Japanese Hand Saw. I mighrt be wrong, I am really too nee to know.

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Hey Brian
If your not using power tools you don't have to worry about dust collection. Glad to help just shoot me a PM and I'll try to answer any questions you may have.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Jim,

I will eventually be using power tools. I plan to buy the Sawstop table saw in May or June. At that time I will get a good quality dust collection system to go with it. Though I am planning on building a router table before then, so who knows, when it is done, I may pull the trigger on dust collection.

It is also possible that I will blow all my money on LN chisels and Veritas hand planes. Everyday is an adventure and part of the fun is not knowing exactly where it will lead.

Thanks for the offer of help. When I do get ready to make the dust collection purchase, I will drop you a line.

Brian


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


I downloaded and listened to Hitchhiker's Guide off my ipod - as read by Mr. Adams himself. It's really worth revisiting if you have not been there since you were young.

As soon as I got more than a tablesaw - that's when I felt I needed dust collection. It's incredible how the dust gets into your lungs. I also got a good mask (the ones that look like WWI gas masks) - works wonders.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


I have the theme song on my ipod. I love it. I need to give it a read again.


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Brian.

You really outdid yourself on this one - thanks for the great read. I am looking forward to reading about your motivation for purchasing a dust collector.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


zee photo is oh so beautiful!! 
I am pleased to hear your are taking care of zee lungs!


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Well, I am pretty sure that Ms Debbie can speak french, so you have two of us here (at least) who speak French, love photography, and care about air filtration.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


Je suis hereux que vous parlez Francais. Il est un belle langue, n'est pas? J'ai etudier a Lyon en 1996 pour deux moins.


----------



## mmh

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


I enjoy your writing, although it sounds like some of you have been snorting too much Padauk dust.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *She Took My Breath Away*
> 
> 
> 
> Since I began blogging, I have taken to carrying around a small notebook, pencil, sharpener and eraser. I am more of a pen person, but using a pencil feels right to me. I was at the bar in the Dublin Underground, drinking an RC, no straw, my usual drink. This is my favorite place in Iowa City. It is a friendly place.
> 
> I was really focused on writing down some thoughts about possible future blog posts. I didn't notice the woman taking off her coat and sitting down one seat over on my right. I didn't hear her order the glass of white wine, or notice the look on the bar tenders face when he first saw her. I was scribbling away, when I felt the slightest tap on my right elbow, and as I looked up, she said in a French accent, "What are you writing about in zee little book?"
> 
> Normally that would be a pretty easy question, since I was the writer, and it wasn't one of those tricky multiple choice questions, I should have been able to fire back an answer immediately. It wouldn't have been a problem, had I not looked up. Had I kept my eyes on zee little notebook, I would have been able to say something like, "My woodworking blog". I saw her face first, and my response was, "I…um…It's…huh…I don't remember. What was the question?" I was having trouble breathing. She giggled and pointed my notebook.
> 
> I then went into a somewhat incoherent rambling about it being notes for a blog which I have been doing since Jan 2 of this year, and lots of other details, which just kept pouring out of me. The little voice in my head was screaming at me, "You are blathering like an idiot" I was pathetic. She sensed that this could on for a while, unless she intervened, "What is zee blog about?" This second question let me gather myself a bit, and I took a breath and said, "It is about woodworking."
> 
> She wore a white silk blouse, black skirt, and had short ebony hair, with the sort of face that launches a thousand ships. I think she said that she liked woodworking, but my head was still spinning a bit and I missed some of her response. It wasn't until she mentioned something about retiring from French national gymnastics team, after she grew 6 inches her senior year in high school, and had been a lingere model for the last 7 years, that I was able to focus on what she was saying again. It was a good thing too, as she asked me another question, "What is the URL for zee blog?"
> 
> She had her iphone out and typed in the address as I gave it to her. Since I knew that if I opened my mouth I would begin to blather on like the idiot again, I sat quietly and fidgeted with my pencil. "The photos are tres beau, did you take them?" I was a bit less shaky by this time, so I said, "yes, I enjoy photography."
> 
> We talked a bit about photography and then she asked, "So you have the wood?" At that moment I felt the urge to tilt my head slightly to the right and raise my left eyebrow. Tragically I suffer from the rare affliction eyebrowus parallelus, from the Latin, which means the inability to raise either eyebrow without raising the other simultaneously, thus keeping them parallel to the eyes. She quickly corrected herself, "Do you have a favorite wood?" To which I said that I like hard maple and walnut. She reached over and touched my arm, looked into my eyes and said, "I would love to see your wood." Damn eyebrowus parellelus!
> 
> She held out her hand and introduced herself. Her hand was warm. Her expression was kind and calming. I guessed that I wasn't the first guy to stammer in her presence. Feeling at ease, I said, "It is nice to meet you Sherri Seurat, my name is Brian Meeks."
> 
> Her father was an avid woodworker, and she was the great granddaughter of Georges Seurat. We talked about photography, her modeling career, her grandfather, and I was much less of an idiot than I had been in the beginning. I don't know how long we talked, but every minute was a delight.
> 
> I was telling her about my little workshop when she asked, "What sort of air filtration system do you have?" I said that I don't have one, but I wear a mask. The look of shock on her face startled me. "You don't have zee air filtration system? Don't you know that air quality is important in keeping your lungs healthy?!" Her voice began to rise. "My father never took care of himself; he breathed that dust every day until he died." She got up from her seat, sobbing, grabbed her coat and fled up the stairs. I was stunned, but I followed her and went outside just in time to see her hop into a cab and drive off. I watched her head off along the river towards the mountains. The beauty of the setting sun was lost on me. It looked cold and sad.
> 
> 
> 
> Thirty-seven minutes later I was loading the Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System into my car. I am pleased with my purchases. It has a remote. I can breathe again.


mmh,

Thanks. You really are digging around the archives to find this one. I think I have written about 100K words since then. I am glad you enjoyed it. My mother still thinks this is my best one, though I think 'Camel Musings' is better.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Heroes*



In 1972 October 20, Pete Rose hit a leadoff home run, and then hit a single in the ninth inning. This was game 5 of the World Series, and the Cincinnati Reds had just staved off elimination, thanks to my child hood hero's efforts. The Reds would win game 6 to send it to a decisive game 7 in Riverfront stadium. I was 5 years old. On October 22, in front of 56,040 fans, and at least one little boy at home watching on TV, the Oakland A's captured their first World Series since 1930, beating my beloved Red 3 - 2. I cried.

It has been a long time since I thought about Pete Rose. I loved playing baseball growing up. Cheering for the Reds during the 70's turned out to be a pretty good choice. 'The Big Red Machine' won the world series in 75' & 76'. My hero was still Pete Rose because of how he played the game. His nickname was 'Charlie Hustle'. He loved the game. He played it hard. His later troubles broke my heart. In the course of my life there have only been a few who have risen to the level of hero in my mind.

Last night, I looked over the stack of woodworking DVDs which I had received, from The Taunton Press, earlier in the week. Sam Maloof, run time 55 minutes, originally published in 1989, was the one I chose. I popped it into the computer and was introduced to one of the 'Giants' of American woodworking.

The DVD invites the viewer into his home and his workshop. The cameras followed him around as he narrates his work and life. The beginning shows Maloof picking through piece of walnut, with him explaining how he marks his lumber. We are treated to wonderful detail about his thought process. He is known for his chairs, but we also get a glimpse into some of his other work.

He talks with ease, as if the audience is a neighbor who stopped over for a cup of tea. We get to meet his wife, who is obviously the love of his life. He talks about his 40 years of being a woodworker and how he is entirely self taught. Sam Maloof is modest and endearing. The love of his life's work is obvious. He talks about some of his prototypes, how many of them were sold over the course of his life and how he wished he had been able to keep more of them. We see his templates, and he proudly shows off one that has survived 30 years and is still in use, he even shows how he has written 'original' on it.

The best part of the time spent with Sam Maloof, is watching him at work. I am too new to woodworking, to fully grasp all of the tips and ideas he shares, but it is obvious that I am watching genius. My head swirls with ideas. In just 55 minutes I have had my perceptions about woodworking changed forever.

He talks of people, who present themselves as wood artists, and he says with pride that he is a woodworker; it is a good word, an honest word. Despite his belief that he is NOT an artist, his work can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Renwick Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The White House Collection of Arts and Crafts, to name but a few of dozens. He was awarded the MacArthur 'Genius' grant in 1985. I learned the last bits, not from the video, but from http://www.malooffoundation.org/cvitae.cfm and Wikipedia. The more I looked up online, the more I liked him. The video introduces one to the work of a dedicated master craftsman and I think most people will want to learn more when they are done.

Sam Maloof passed away on May 21, 2009. Though he is no longer with us, his work and life still has the power to inspire and to teach. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who asks. As for me, I have added Sam Maloof to my short list of heroes.


----------



## jlsmith5963

Ecocandle said:


> *Heroes*
> 
> 
> 
> In 1972 October 20, Pete Rose hit a leadoff home run, and then hit a single in the ninth inning. This was game 5 of the World Series, and the Cincinnati Reds had just staved off elimination, thanks to my child hood hero's efforts. The Reds would win game 6 to send it to a decisive game 7 in Riverfront stadium. I was 5 years old. On October 22, in front of 56,040 fans, and at least one little boy at home watching on TV, the Oakland A's captured their first World Series since 1930, beating my beloved Red 3 - 2. I cried.
> 
> It has been a long time since I thought about Pete Rose. I loved playing baseball growing up. Cheering for the Reds during the 70's turned out to be a pretty good choice. 'The Big Red Machine' won the world series in 75' & 76'. My hero was still Pete Rose because of how he played the game. His nickname was 'Charlie Hustle'. He loved the game. He played it hard. His later troubles broke my heart. In the course of my life there have only been a few who have risen to the level of hero in my mind.
> 
> Last night, I looked over the stack of woodworking DVDs which I had received, from The Taunton Press, earlier in the week. Sam Maloof, run time 55 minutes, originally published in 1989, was the one I chose. I popped it into the computer and was introduced to one of the 'Giants' of American woodworking.
> 
> The DVD invites the viewer into his home and his workshop. The cameras followed him around as he narrates his work and life. The beginning shows Maloof picking through piece of walnut, with him explaining how he marks his lumber. We are treated to wonderful detail about his thought process. He is known for his chairs, but we also get a glimpse into some of his other work.
> 
> He talks with ease, as if the audience is a neighbor who stopped over for a cup of tea. We get to meet his wife, who is obviously the love of his life. He talks about his 40 years of being a woodworker and how he is entirely self taught. Sam Maloof is modest and endearing. The love of his life's work is obvious. He talks about some of his prototypes, how many of them were sold over the course of his life and how he wished he had been able to keep more of them. We see his templates, and he proudly shows off one that has survived 30 years and is still in use, he even shows how he has written 'original' on it.
> 
> The best part of the time spent with Sam Maloof, is watching him at work. I am too new to woodworking, to fully grasp all of the tips and ideas he shares, but it is obvious that I am watching genius. My head swirls with ideas. In just 55 minutes I have had my perceptions about woodworking changed forever.
> 
> He talks of people, who present themselves as wood artists, and he says with pride that he is a woodworker; it is a good word, an honest word. Despite his belief that he is NOT an artist, his work can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Renwick Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The White House Collection of Arts and Crafts, to name but a few of dozens. He was awarded the MacArthur 'Genius' grant in 1985. I learned the last bits, not from the video, but from http://www.malooffoundation.org/cvitae.cfm and Wikipedia. The more I looked up online, the more I liked him. The video introduces one to the work of a dedicated master craftsman and I think most people will want to learn more when they are done.
> 
> Sam Maloof passed away on May 21, 2009. Though he is no longer with us, his work and life still has the power to inspire and to teach. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who asks. As for me, I have added Sam Maloof to my short list of heroes.


Brian

I posted this when Sam Maloof died, given your new found interest in him you might enjoy this video series of a workshop he gave:

Given Sam Maloof's passing, I thought I would post the link to a web site that shows Sam in action (there are other woodworking videos as well). His videos are in the Video Library under A Woodworking Experience.

http://www.woodworkingchannel.com/dolphin/videgovideo_library.php


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Heroes*
> 
> 
> 
> In 1972 October 20, Pete Rose hit a leadoff home run, and then hit a single in the ninth inning. This was game 5 of the World Series, and the Cincinnati Reds had just staved off elimination, thanks to my child hood hero's efforts. The Reds would win game 6 to send it to a decisive game 7 in Riverfront stadium. I was 5 years old. On October 22, in front of 56,040 fans, and at least one little boy at home watching on TV, the Oakland A's captured their first World Series since 1930, beating my beloved Red 3 - 2. I cried.
> 
> It has been a long time since I thought about Pete Rose. I loved playing baseball growing up. Cheering for the Reds during the 70's turned out to be a pretty good choice. 'The Big Red Machine' won the world series in 75' & 76'. My hero was still Pete Rose because of how he played the game. His nickname was 'Charlie Hustle'. He loved the game. He played it hard. His later troubles broke my heart. In the course of my life there have only been a few who have risen to the level of hero in my mind.
> 
> Last night, I looked over the stack of woodworking DVDs which I had received, from The Taunton Press, earlier in the week. Sam Maloof, run time 55 minutes, originally published in 1989, was the one I chose. I popped it into the computer and was introduced to one of the 'Giants' of American woodworking.
> 
> The DVD invites the viewer into his home and his workshop. The cameras followed him around as he narrates his work and life. The beginning shows Maloof picking through piece of walnut, with him explaining how he marks his lumber. We are treated to wonderful detail about his thought process. He is known for his chairs, but we also get a glimpse into some of his other work.
> 
> He talks with ease, as if the audience is a neighbor who stopped over for a cup of tea. We get to meet his wife, who is obviously the love of his life. He talks about his 40 years of being a woodworker and how he is entirely self taught. Sam Maloof is modest and endearing. The love of his life's work is obvious. He talks about some of his prototypes, how many of them were sold over the course of his life and how he wished he had been able to keep more of them. We see his templates, and he proudly shows off one that has survived 30 years and is still in use, he even shows how he has written 'original' on it.
> 
> The best part of the time spent with Sam Maloof, is watching him at work. I am too new to woodworking, to fully grasp all of the tips and ideas he shares, but it is obvious that I am watching genius. My head swirls with ideas. In just 55 minutes I have had my perceptions about woodworking changed forever.
> 
> He talks of people, who present themselves as wood artists, and he says with pride that he is a woodworker; it is a good word, an honest word. Despite his belief that he is NOT an artist, his work can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Renwick Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The White House Collection of Arts and Crafts, to name but a few of dozens. He was awarded the MacArthur 'Genius' grant in 1985. I learned the last bits, not from the video, but from http://www.malooffoundation.org/cvitae.cfm and Wikipedia. The more I looked up online, the more I liked him. The video introduces one to the work of a dedicated master craftsman and I think most people will want to learn more when they are done.
> 
> Sam Maloof passed away on May 21, 2009. Though he is no longer with us, his work and life still has the power to inspire and to teach. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who asks. As for me, I have added Sam Maloof to my short list of heroes.


Nice of you to blog this Brian. It speaks well for our society that such people as Sam Maloof are held in such high esteem. He sets a good example for us all, not only how to do woodworking, but also how to live a full life. Besides being a premier woodworker/designer, He was extremely good at just being himself, a friendly, helpful and amiable man.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Heroes*
> 
> 
> 
> In 1972 October 20, Pete Rose hit a leadoff home run, and then hit a single in the ninth inning. This was game 5 of the World Series, and the Cincinnati Reds had just staved off elimination, thanks to my child hood hero's efforts. The Reds would win game 6 to send it to a decisive game 7 in Riverfront stadium. I was 5 years old. On October 22, in front of 56,040 fans, and at least one little boy at home watching on TV, the Oakland A's captured their first World Series since 1930, beating my beloved Red 3 - 2. I cried.
> 
> It has been a long time since I thought about Pete Rose. I loved playing baseball growing up. Cheering for the Reds during the 70's turned out to be a pretty good choice. 'The Big Red Machine' won the world series in 75' & 76'. My hero was still Pete Rose because of how he played the game. His nickname was 'Charlie Hustle'. He loved the game. He played it hard. His later troubles broke my heart. In the course of my life there have only been a few who have risen to the level of hero in my mind.
> 
> Last night, I looked over the stack of woodworking DVDs which I had received, from The Taunton Press, earlier in the week. Sam Maloof, run time 55 minutes, originally published in 1989, was the one I chose. I popped it into the computer and was introduced to one of the 'Giants' of American woodworking.
> 
> The DVD invites the viewer into his home and his workshop. The cameras followed him around as he narrates his work and life. The beginning shows Maloof picking through piece of walnut, with him explaining how he marks his lumber. We are treated to wonderful detail about his thought process. He is known for his chairs, but we also get a glimpse into some of his other work.
> 
> He talks with ease, as if the audience is a neighbor who stopped over for a cup of tea. We get to meet his wife, who is obviously the love of his life. He talks about his 40 years of being a woodworker and how he is entirely self taught. Sam Maloof is modest and endearing. The love of his life's work is obvious. He talks about some of his prototypes, how many of them were sold over the course of his life and how he wished he had been able to keep more of them. We see his templates, and he proudly shows off one that has survived 30 years and is still in use, he even shows how he has written 'original' on it.
> 
> The best part of the time spent with Sam Maloof, is watching him at work. I am too new to woodworking, to fully grasp all of the tips and ideas he shares, but it is obvious that I am watching genius. My head swirls with ideas. In just 55 minutes I have had my perceptions about woodworking changed forever.
> 
> He talks of people, who present themselves as wood artists, and he says with pride that he is a woodworker; it is a good word, an honest word. Despite his belief that he is NOT an artist, his work can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Renwick Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The White House Collection of Arts and Crafts, to name but a few of dozens. He was awarded the MacArthur 'Genius' grant in 1985. I learned the last bits, not from the video, but from http://www.malooffoundation.org/cvitae.cfm and Wikipedia. The more I looked up online, the more I liked him. The video introduces one to the work of a dedicated master craftsman and I think most people will want to learn more when they are done.
> 
> Sam Maloof passed away on May 21, 2009. Though he is no longer with us, his work and life still has the power to inspire and to teach. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who asks. As for me, I have added Sam Maloof to my short list of heroes.


I'm not a Premier anything.
Yet.
But then I'm just starting out in woodworking. I'm only 77. I have a long way to go.

Hey, Brian.
Meet you at the Dub.
This time, don't come in disguise!

db


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Heroes*
> 
> 
> 
> In 1972 October 20, Pete Rose hit a leadoff home run, and then hit a single in the ninth inning. This was game 5 of the World Series, and the Cincinnati Reds had just staved off elimination, thanks to my child hood hero's efforts. The Reds would win game 6 to send it to a decisive game 7 in Riverfront stadium. I was 5 years old. On October 22, in front of 56,040 fans, and at least one little boy at home watching on TV, the Oakland A's captured their first World Series since 1930, beating my beloved Red 3 - 2. I cried.
> 
> It has been a long time since I thought about Pete Rose. I loved playing baseball growing up. Cheering for the Reds during the 70's turned out to be a pretty good choice. 'The Big Red Machine' won the world series in 75' & 76'. My hero was still Pete Rose because of how he played the game. His nickname was 'Charlie Hustle'. He loved the game. He played it hard. His later troubles broke my heart. In the course of my life there have only been a few who have risen to the level of hero in my mind.
> 
> Last night, I looked over the stack of woodworking DVDs which I had received, from The Taunton Press, earlier in the week. Sam Maloof, run time 55 minutes, originally published in 1989, was the one I chose. I popped it into the computer and was introduced to one of the 'Giants' of American woodworking.
> 
> The DVD invites the viewer into his home and his workshop. The cameras followed him around as he narrates his work and life. The beginning shows Maloof picking through piece of walnut, with him explaining how he marks his lumber. We are treated to wonderful detail about his thought process. He is known for his chairs, but we also get a glimpse into some of his other work.
> 
> He talks with ease, as if the audience is a neighbor who stopped over for a cup of tea. We get to meet his wife, who is obviously the love of his life. He talks about his 40 years of being a woodworker and how he is entirely self taught. Sam Maloof is modest and endearing. The love of his life's work is obvious. He talks about some of his prototypes, how many of them were sold over the course of his life and how he wished he had been able to keep more of them. We see his templates, and he proudly shows off one that has survived 30 years and is still in use, he even shows how he has written 'original' on it.
> 
> The best part of the time spent with Sam Maloof, is watching him at work. I am too new to woodworking, to fully grasp all of the tips and ideas he shares, but it is obvious that I am watching genius. My head swirls with ideas. In just 55 minutes I have had my perceptions about woodworking changed forever.
> 
> He talks of people, who present themselves as wood artists, and he says with pride that he is a woodworker; it is a good word, an honest word. Despite his belief that he is NOT an artist, his work can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Renwick Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The White House Collection of Arts and Crafts, to name but a few of dozens. He was awarded the MacArthur 'Genius' grant in 1985. I learned the last bits, not from the video, but from http://www.malooffoundation.org/cvitae.cfm and Wikipedia. The more I looked up online, the more I liked him. The video introduces one to the work of a dedicated master craftsman and I think most people will want to learn more when they are done.
> 
> Sam Maloof passed away on May 21, 2009. Though he is no longer with us, his work and life still has the power to inspire and to teach. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who asks. As for me, I have added Sam Maloof to my short list of heroes.


This post brought a lump to my throat. I don't' know if it is from the fact that we have lost several Masters in the last couple of years, or my inability to even come close to matching any of their works.

Thanks for the post. I find it as an inspiration to try again,
Steve


----------



## shopdog

Ecocandle said:


> *Heroes*
> 
> 
> 
> In 1972 October 20, Pete Rose hit a leadoff home run, and then hit a single in the ninth inning. This was game 5 of the World Series, and the Cincinnati Reds had just staved off elimination, thanks to my child hood hero's efforts. The Reds would win game 6 to send it to a decisive game 7 in Riverfront stadium. I was 5 years old. On October 22, in front of 56,040 fans, and at least one little boy at home watching on TV, the Oakland A's captured their first World Series since 1930, beating my beloved Red 3 - 2. I cried.
> 
> It has been a long time since I thought about Pete Rose. I loved playing baseball growing up. Cheering for the Reds during the 70's turned out to be a pretty good choice. 'The Big Red Machine' won the world series in 75' & 76'. My hero was still Pete Rose because of how he played the game. His nickname was 'Charlie Hustle'. He loved the game. He played it hard. His later troubles broke my heart. In the course of my life there have only been a few who have risen to the level of hero in my mind.
> 
> Last night, I looked over the stack of woodworking DVDs which I had received, from The Taunton Press, earlier in the week. Sam Maloof, run time 55 minutes, originally published in 1989, was the one I chose. I popped it into the computer and was introduced to one of the 'Giants' of American woodworking.
> 
> The DVD invites the viewer into his home and his workshop. The cameras followed him around as he narrates his work and life. The beginning shows Maloof picking through piece of walnut, with him explaining how he marks his lumber. We are treated to wonderful detail about his thought process. He is known for his chairs, but we also get a glimpse into some of his other work.
> 
> He talks with ease, as if the audience is a neighbor who stopped over for a cup of tea. We get to meet his wife, who is obviously the love of his life. He talks about his 40 years of being a woodworker and how he is entirely self taught. Sam Maloof is modest and endearing. The love of his life's work is obvious. He talks about some of his prototypes, how many of them were sold over the course of his life and how he wished he had been able to keep more of them. We see his templates, and he proudly shows off one that has survived 30 years and is still in use, he even shows how he has written 'original' on it.
> 
> The best part of the time spent with Sam Maloof, is watching him at work. I am too new to woodworking, to fully grasp all of the tips and ideas he shares, but it is obvious that I am watching genius. My head swirls with ideas. In just 55 minutes I have had my perceptions about woodworking changed forever.
> 
> He talks of people, who present themselves as wood artists, and he says with pride that he is a woodworker; it is a good word, an honest word. Despite his belief that he is NOT an artist, his work can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Renwick Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The White House Collection of Arts and Crafts, to name but a few of dozens. He was awarded the MacArthur 'Genius' grant in 1985. I learned the last bits, not from the video, but from http://www.malooffoundation.org/cvitae.cfm and Wikipedia. The more I looked up online, the more I liked him. The video introduces one to the work of a dedicated master craftsman and I think most people will want to learn more when they are done.
> 
> Sam Maloof passed away on May 21, 2009. Though he is no longer with us, his work and life still has the power to inspire and to teach. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who asks. As for me, I have added Sam Maloof to my short list of heroes.


Good blog Brian. Baseball and woodworking…what could be better?
Pete Rose was not one of my heroes (I'm a Yankee fan from the 50's), but I totally respect his accomplishments. He was pure baseball…always gave it 150%. I think that he should get into the Hall, considering the drug situation in baseball, gambling seems tame. I'm not condoning it, but he's paid his dues. They will eventually send some of the juicing ball players into the Hall. Charlie Hustle should go to.

Sam Maloof is a hero of mine, and I really appreciate the link posted by jlsmith (although I had to go to www.woodworkingchannel.com, and find the Maloof videos)...well worth the search.
Thanks to both of you.


----------



## CottonWire

Ecocandle said:


> *Heroes*
> 
> 
> 
> In 1972 October 20, Pete Rose hit a leadoff home run, and then hit a single in the ninth inning. This was game 5 of the World Series, and the Cincinnati Reds had just staved off elimination, thanks to my child hood hero's efforts. The Reds would win game 6 to send it to a decisive game 7 in Riverfront stadium. I was 5 years old. On October 22, in front of 56,040 fans, and at least one little boy at home watching on TV, the Oakland A's captured their first World Series since 1930, beating my beloved Red 3 - 2. I cried.
> 
> It has been a long time since I thought about Pete Rose. I loved playing baseball growing up. Cheering for the Reds during the 70's turned out to be a pretty good choice. 'The Big Red Machine' won the world series in 75' & 76'. My hero was still Pete Rose because of how he played the game. His nickname was 'Charlie Hustle'. He loved the game. He played it hard. His later troubles broke my heart. In the course of my life there have only been a few who have risen to the level of hero in my mind.
> 
> Last night, I looked over the stack of woodworking DVDs which I had received, from The Taunton Press, earlier in the week. Sam Maloof, run time 55 minutes, originally published in 1989, was the one I chose. I popped it into the computer and was introduced to one of the 'Giants' of American woodworking.
> 
> The DVD invites the viewer into his home and his workshop. The cameras followed him around as he narrates his work and life. The beginning shows Maloof picking through piece of walnut, with him explaining how he marks his lumber. We are treated to wonderful detail about his thought process. He is known for his chairs, but we also get a glimpse into some of his other work.
> 
> He talks with ease, as if the audience is a neighbor who stopped over for a cup of tea. We get to meet his wife, who is obviously the love of his life. He talks about his 40 years of being a woodworker and how he is entirely self taught. Sam Maloof is modest and endearing. The love of his life's work is obvious. He talks about some of his prototypes, how many of them were sold over the course of his life and how he wished he had been able to keep more of them. We see his templates, and he proudly shows off one that has survived 30 years and is still in use, he even shows how he has written 'original' on it.
> 
> The best part of the time spent with Sam Maloof, is watching him at work. I am too new to woodworking, to fully grasp all of the tips and ideas he shares, but it is obvious that I am watching genius. My head swirls with ideas. In just 55 minutes I have had my perceptions about woodworking changed forever.
> 
> He talks of people, who present themselves as wood artists, and he says with pride that he is a woodworker; it is a good word, an honest word. Despite his belief that he is NOT an artist, his work can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Renwick Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The White House Collection of Arts and Crafts, to name but a few of dozens. He was awarded the MacArthur 'Genius' grant in 1985. I learned the last bits, not from the video, but from http://www.malooffoundation.org/cvitae.cfm and Wikipedia. The more I looked up online, the more I liked him. The video introduces one to the work of a dedicated master craftsman and I think most people will want to learn more when they are done.
> 
> Sam Maloof passed away on May 21, 2009. Though he is no longer with us, his work and life still has the power to inspire and to teach. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who asks. As for me, I have added Sam Maloof to my short list of heroes.


Morning Brian,

I'm not sure how I ended up here, reading your post, but I'm very glad I did. Being "new to woodworking" is putting it mildly in describing my capacities. I am a reader and thinker though, and your piece is just wonderful. You're thoughtful, well spoken and you've introduced me to someone I didn't know . . . at all. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on some of those DVDs for my own library.

Thanks again from the heart of the Mohawk Valley - west central Oregon!

Kind regards,

Ransom


----------



## Ecocandle

*The English Plane*



"The English Plane"

-by Brian Meeks

In a tiny shop north of London town
At a maple bench stood young man proud.
Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
A comb in her hair from mother of pearl

He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
At the museum she'd once spent a day
The artist she saw was named Claude Monet

On way to his shop, each day he passed by
He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know

Each day he worked fixing table and chair
Til one could find nary a sign of wear
An easel she made from two apple crates
With a brush and plank she painted the fates.

The days rolled by and He spends them alone
He dreams of her each night he walks home
At the base of his door, in a pink bow
Violets waited for him and whispered hello

With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
The rough hewn walnut became a palette
She painted his portrait he made the frame
The rest of their lives were never the same.

He built her a house with a small garden
She took his name and gave him three children
Though they are gone and we know not their names
His joie de vie remains in this plane.



While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.

I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.

I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The English Plane*
> 
> 
> 
> "The English Plane"
> 
> -by Brian Meeks
> 
> In a tiny shop north of London town
> At a maple bench stood young man proud.
> Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
> A comb in her hair from mother of pearl
> 
> He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
> He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
> At the museum she'd once spent a day
> The artist she saw was named Claude Monet
> 
> On way to his shop, each day he passed by
> He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
> She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
> She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know
> 
> Each day he worked fixing table and chair
> Til one could find nary a sign of wear
> An easel she made from two apple crates
> With a brush and plank she painted the fates.
> 
> The days rolled by and He spends them alone
> He dreams of her each night he walks home
> At the base of his door, in a pink bow
> Violets waited for him and whispered hello
> 
> With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
> The rough hewn walnut became a palette
> She painted his portrait he made the frame
> The rest of their lives were never the same.
> 
> He built her a house with a small garden
> She took his name and gave him three children
> Though they are gone and we know not their names
> His joie de vie remains in this plane.
> 
> 
> 
> While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.
> 
> I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.
> 
> I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


After the post 'She took my breath away', some of the readers expressed disappointment that it didn't have a happy ending.

I hope you like this one better.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *The English Plane*
> 
> 
> 
> "The English Plane"
> 
> -by Brian Meeks
> 
> In a tiny shop north of London town
> At a maple bench stood young man proud.
> Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
> A comb in her hair from mother of pearl
> 
> He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
> He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
> At the museum she'd once spent a day
> The artist she saw was named Claude Monet
> 
> On way to his shop, each day he passed by
> He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
> She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
> She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know
> 
> Each day he worked fixing table and chair
> Til one could find nary a sign of wear
> An easel she made from two apple crates
> With a brush and plank she painted the fates.
> 
> The days rolled by and He spends them alone
> He dreams of her each night he walks home
> At the base of his door, in a pink bow
> Violets waited for him and whispered hello
> 
> With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
> The rough hewn walnut became a palette
> She painted his portrait he made the frame
> The rest of their lives were never the same.
> 
> He built her a house with a small garden
> She took his name and gave him three children
> Though they are gone and we know not their names
> His joie de vie remains in this plane.
> 
> 
> 
> While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.
> 
> I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.
> 
> I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


quite a story.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *The English Plane*
> 
> 
> 
> "The English Plane"
> 
> -by Brian Meeks
> 
> In a tiny shop north of London town
> At a maple bench stood young man proud.
> Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
> A comb in her hair from mother of pearl
> 
> He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
> He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
> At the museum she'd once spent a day
> The artist she saw was named Claude Monet
> 
> On way to his shop, each day he passed by
> He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
> She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
> She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know
> 
> Each day he worked fixing table and chair
> Til one could find nary a sign of wear
> An easel she made from two apple crates
> With a brush and plank she painted the fates.
> 
> The days rolled by and He spends them alone
> He dreams of her each night he walks home
> At the base of his door, in a pink bow
> Violets waited for him and whispered hello
> 
> With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
> The rough hewn walnut became a palette
> She painted his portrait he made the frame
> The rest of their lives were never the same.
> 
> He built her a house with a small garden
> She took his name and gave him three children
> Though they are gone and we know not their names
> His joie de vie remains in this plane.
> 
> 
> 
> While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.
> 
> I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.
> 
> I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


If time permits, try to collect "The Handplane Book", by Garrett Hack. It will change the way you view handplanes (probably). Great book. You can't go wrong with a great book; avoid junk (i.e. do your homework).

Incidently, I recently talked to someone from Veritas/Lee Valley at a woodworking show. He kindly gave me a "priceless" 10-15 minute lesson on surfacing a new table. Much of the detail I didn't know concerned ways to grind the blade (for instance, to emulate a "scrub plane" with a #5). I'm forced to conclude that there is much more to using handplanes than meets the eye. Somehow this makes me want to learn even more.

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The English Plane*
> 
> 
> 
> "The English Plane"
> 
> -by Brian Meeks
> 
> In a tiny shop north of London town
> At a maple bench stood young man proud.
> Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
> A comb in her hair from mother of pearl
> 
> He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
> He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
> At the museum she'd once spent a day
> The artist she saw was named Claude Monet
> 
> On way to his shop, each day he passed by
> He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
> She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
> She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know
> 
> Each day he worked fixing table and chair
> Til one could find nary a sign of wear
> An easel she made from two apple crates
> With a brush and plank she painted the fates.
> 
> The days rolled by and He spends them alone
> He dreams of her each night he walks home
> At the base of his door, in a pink bow
> Violets waited for him and whispered hello
> 
> With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
> The rough hewn walnut became a palette
> She painted his portrait he made the frame
> The rest of their lives were never the same.
> 
> He built her a house with a small garden
> She took his name and gave him three children
> Though they are gone and we know not their names
> His joie de vie remains in this plane.
> 
> 
> 
> While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.
> 
> I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.
> 
> I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


One of the books I purchased recently is 'Working with Handplanes', from Fine Woodworking Magazine. I can't imagine having too many books on hand planes, so I will likely give Mr. Hacks book a read too. Thanks for the suggestion.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *The English Plane*
> 
> 
> 
> "The English Plane"
> 
> -by Brian Meeks
> 
> In a tiny shop north of London town
> At a maple bench stood young man proud.
> Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
> A comb in her hair from mother of pearl
> 
> He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
> He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
> At the museum she'd once spent a day
> The artist she saw was named Claude Monet
> 
> On way to his shop, each day he passed by
> He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
> She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
> She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know
> 
> Each day he worked fixing table and chair
> Til one could find nary a sign of wear
> An easel she made from two apple crates
> With a brush and plank she painted the fates.
> 
> The days rolled by and He spends them alone
> He dreams of her each night he walks home
> At the base of his door, in a pink bow
> Violets waited for him and whispered hello
> 
> With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
> The rough hewn walnut became a palette
> She painted his portrait he made the frame
> The rest of their lives were never the same.
> 
> He built her a house with a small garden
> She took his name and gave him three children
> Though they are gone and we know not their names
> His joie de vie remains in this plane.
> 
> 
> 
> While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.
> 
> I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.
> 
> I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


Brian, I'm sure the book for have is very good. I would probably like it alot. I'm currently reading about 8 books related to woodworking, not including magazines and catalogs…no kidding (thank goodness for bookmarks and the library!). Garrett Hack's book, aside from containing lots of applicable facts, reads as much like an encylopedic history. Thus, I think owning both books is justified. One that I added to my "wish list" a few months ago is "Making and Mastering Wood Planes, by David Finck.

Of course, you mentioned that you picked up a good deal of instructional materials recently. As long as you are writing, I hope that you might provide the followers of your blog with informal reviews of the resources you find helpful!

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The English Plane*
> 
> 
> 
> "The English Plane"
> 
> -by Brian Meeks
> 
> In a tiny shop north of London town
> At a maple bench stood young man proud.
> Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
> A comb in her hair from mother of pearl
> 
> He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
> He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
> At the museum she'd once spent a day
> The artist she saw was named Claude Monet
> 
> On way to his shop, each day he passed by
> He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
> She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
> She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know
> 
> Each day he worked fixing table and chair
> Til one could find nary a sign of wear
> An easel she made from two apple crates
> With a brush and plank she painted the fates.
> 
> The days rolled by and He spends them alone
> He dreams of her each night he walks home
> At the base of his door, in a pink bow
> Violets waited for him and whispered hello
> 
> With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
> The rough hewn walnut became a palette
> She painted his portrait he made the frame
> The rest of their lives were never the same.
> 
> He built her a house with a small garden
> She took his name and gave him three children
> Though they are gone and we know not their names
> His joie de vie remains in this plane.
> 
> 
> 
> While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.
> 
> I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.
> 
> I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


Bill,

I will do that. I have already reviewed the Sam Maloof DVD, and as soon as I watch another one, or finish one of the books, I will let everyone know what I think.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *The English Plane*
> 
> 
> 
> "The English Plane"
> 
> -by Brian Meeks
> 
> In a tiny shop north of London town
> At a maple bench stood young man proud.
> Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
> A comb in her hair from mother of pearl
> 
> He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
> He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
> At the museum she'd once spent a day
> The artist she saw was named Claude Monet
> 
> On way to his shop, each day he passed by
> He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
> She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
> She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know
> 
> Each day he worked fixing table and chair
> Til one could find nary a sign of wear
> An easel she made from two apple crates
> With a brush and plank she painted the fates.
> 
> The days rolled by and He spends them alone
> He dreams of her each night he walks home
> At the base of his door, in a pink bow
> Violets waited for him and whispered hello
> 
> With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
> The rough hewn walnut became a palette
> She painted his portrait he made the frame
> The rest of their lives were never the same.
> 
> He built her a house with a small garden
> She took his name and gave him three children
> Though they are gone and we know not their names
> His joie de vie remains in this plane.
> 
> 
> 
> While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.
> 
> I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.
> 
> I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


Thanks Brian. Always fun to read your stuff. It is well worth the time to learn about handplanes.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *The English Plane*
> 
> 
> 
> "The English Plane"
> 
> -by Brian Meeks
> 
> In a tiny shop north of London town
> At a maple bench stood young man proud.
> Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
> A comb in her hair from mother of pearl
> 
> He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
> He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
> At the museum she'd once spent a day
> The artist she saw was named Claude Monet
> 
> On way to his shop, each day he passed by
> He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
> She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
> She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know
> 
> Each day he worked fixing table and chair
> Til one could find nary a sign of wear
> An easel she made from two apple crates
> With a brush and plank she painted the fates.
> 
> The days rolled by and He spends them alone
> He dreams of her each night he walks home
> At the base of his door, in a pink bow
> Violets waited for him and whispered hello
> 
> With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
> The rough hewn walnut became a palette
> She painted his portrait he made the frame
> The rest of their lives were never the same.
> 
> He built her a house with a small garden
> She took his name and gave him three children
> Though they are gone and we know not their names
> His joie de vie remains in this plane.
> 
> 
> 
> While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.
> 
> I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.
> 
> I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


I thought She took my breath away had a very nice ending. I can think of very few relationships in my past where things didn't work out and I got a new tool because of it. Usually, I end up losing all my possessions instead 

Great post on the plane Brian. I couldn't help but notice the Festool with the extremely sharp teeth is female while the little plane who wants to play is male. I get the feeling that I am not the only one with relationship issues….

David


----------



## RayCurtis

Ecocandle said:


> *The English Plane*
> 
> 
> 
> "The English Plane"
> 
> -by Brian Meeks
> 
> In a tiny shop north of London town
> At a maple bench stood young man proud.
> Off cobble stone road sat a flower girl
> A comb in her hair from mother of pearl
> 
> He'd returned from the war a scar on his face
> He'd flown a camel; they'd called him an Ace.
> At the museum she'd once spent a day
> The artist she saw was named Claude Monet
> 
> On way to his shop, each day he passed by
> He oft thought of how, he might catch her eye
> She noticed his walk and his hat pulled low
> She thought he seemed kind, she wanted to know
> 
> Each day he worked fixing table and chair
> Til one could find nary a sign of wear
> An easel she made from two apple crates
> With a brush and plank she painted the fates.
> 
> The days rolled by and He spends them alone
> He dreams of her each night he walks home
> At the base of his door, in a pink bow
> Violets waited for him and whispered hello
> 
> With chisel and plane and saw and mallet
> The rough hewn walnut became a palette
> She painted his portrait he made the frame
> The rest of their lives were never the same.
> 
> He built her a house with a small garden
> She took his name and gave him three children
> Though they are gone and we know not their names
> His joie de vie remains in this plane.
> 
> 
> 
> While I drove home from the antiques show, the little English hand plane sat patiently in the passenger's seat. What tales could it tell? I could only imagine. I don't know anything about hand planes, except that they seem to be incredibly handy to have around. I watch videos online and see people using them. The other day, when I was buying the Jet 1000B air filtration system, I asked the salesperson if they sold hand planes. He said they only had a couple, because people don't use them much anymore. This might be true among home builders and carpenters, who likely make up most of his clientele, but it seems to me, that woodworkers still treasure their planes.
> 
> I could tell that the little plane was worried that he might be destined for some sort of knick knack shelf, for he had been travelling to antique shows for some time, and knew the fate of the tools sold at these places. When I removed his blade and began to run it back and forth across the wet stone, he purred with delight. They years of neglect fell away and the blade slowly began to come to life. As the metal changed from black to grey, I could tell that the little plane was feeling hopeful that he might again taste the sweet wood which gave his life meaning. After 40 minutes of working on the blade, the anticipation for the little plane was causing it to fidget and fuss a bit, so I decided that the blade was sharp enough for now.
> 
> I put the blade back into the plane and we went downstairs. As soon as he saw the workshop and a piece of rough cut walnut sitting on the workbench he yelped with delight. I explained to the little plane that I had never used one before, but he didn't seem to care at all. I ran him across the board and tiny bits of wood began to come up. I adjusted the blade and he bit into the wood bringing up small shavings. Yummy! We played together on the walnut for a while. When I sensed that all my little plane's fears were gone, I told him that I intended to continue to work on him, to make his blade sharper. I promised him that I will make sure, that no matter how many planes I get over time, I will always get him out and let him have some fun too. My little English plane was happy and so was I.


Brian,
I am pleased to make your Acquaintance, I just ran accross your blogs tonight and am extreamly impressed. Great prose, and the poetry aint bad either.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Viking Tale*



It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.

Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.

As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.

He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.

Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.

So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.

The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.

I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.



A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.



I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Entertaining story as always Brian.

The lot you purchased would have given you bragging rights. If my math is correct, you would have about 68 board feet of cherry, which would have cost you close to the amount you paid. Walnut is a very good wood and you have a nice collection of it to keep you busy for some time. That said, I would take your savings and buy a jointer and a planer, or invest in a good jointer plane. The English plane you have would not be long enough to properly flatten the boards for projects down the road. You might also want to invest in a moisture meter. Not a very expensive device and one that can tell you for sure whether the boards are ready for your work.

Great find and I hope you enjoy playing with your wood…err…lumber.

David


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


now that you " have wood ",
broomhilda may make a visit ,
and take your mind off of that french chick ?

i've been enjoying your joy in this adventure ,

i'm sure you will be a great woodworker .
your dreams are just around the corner !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


David,

I plan on taking your advice. Before the wood is ready to use, I will likely have a Dewalt 734 or 735 and several more appropriate hand planes. I also plan on buying a nice moisture meter as well. I know that it will be at least 6 months before I can use the wood, so those items are a bit lower on my list. I love the advice though. And thanks for letting me know it was a good deal.

Patron,

I am glad that you are enjoying the stories. I am enjoying writing them. It is nice to know that the woodworking community has so many people with my sense of humor.

Brian


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


in the meantime ,
get some cheap boards ,
and practice , practice , practice !


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Brian, this was an entertaining read and you did get a good deal on the lumber. Thanks for the post.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Brian, Keep in mind that cherry will take a lot longer that cherry to dry an that the moisture meter will be a must. Meanwhile listen to David. The simplest of tools requires time to learn to use it well.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Great tale, and you got a good deal on the wood. Not as good as the one I got this weekend, but its not everyone's lot in life to pick up 70 year old white pine and oak logs that have been cut down at a local residence. Of course, by the time your find is furniture, mine will barely have been sliced up into lumber that will take another year to dry (at least). In the meantime, I've painted the ends a brilliant red-orange for the amusement of my neighbors. One of them has already suggested that I paint some concentric white circles and use them for hatchet practice, a suggestion my wife found hilarious. My son and I thought it sounded fun, so I may give it a go!

By the way, I like the new banner for your blog. Not as attention grabbing as it would be if the chisel was stuck in your hand (which, believe it or not, I have actually done), but pleasing nonetheless.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Oh, and I also meant to put in a plug for the Veritas low-angle jointer plane … no need to sully the workshop with the power jointer if you don't have to. The Veritas works like a dream, especially in conjunction with the optional fence.

Okay Veritas, you can deposit the five bucks in my paypal account! lol


----------



## ShannonRogers

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Brian, another great post. Don't forget about the dark art of green woodworking. Maybe skip the jointer and planer and invest in a froe and maul and maybe a broad axe. The 17th century is full of joiners who never used a saw and took advantage of the expansion and contraction of hydroscopic wood to make joints so strong they are still firm today. Granted most of this work was with the more open pored woods, but you might be surprised with what you can do with green wood.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


I didn't know that there was a green woodworking art. Everyday I learn a bit about 1 thing, and find out there are 2 more I didn't know about. In a year I figure I will have learned so much that I won't have even heard of woodworking.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Like everything else Brian, the journey is to find out just how ignorant we really are. I, too, look forward to the day when I realize that I don't know anything.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Good story Brian. I think one of my neighbors is a descendant of Sven.

I second what Shannon said. Green woodworking is a world of it's own. I have a book on it and have split logs with the techniques I learned there. It was a lot easier than I imagined. Having those skills allows you to get logs from friends and neighbors or wherever and make planks and other pieces for use in projects. I always think about Abe Lincoln splitting logs as a youth. The title of the book is "Green Woodwork" by Mike Abbott. It was printed by the "Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd. The latest edition was 1996 as far as I know, but there could be a more recent printing. This book will really open your eyes!

I agree with David that you are going to be a very good woodworker with the approach you are taking.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Brian, you must be having the time of your life. Or maybe you have always lived this way. I think the latter is probably closer to the truth.

Congrats on the wood. Having your own stock saves you from having to pillage others.

Love the read,
Steve


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Mike:

Thanks for the tip on the Abbott book. My local library had it and it looks like a good read.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


) thank´s for another great story I enjoy them but don´t make too much fun of us from the 
dark age in Skandinavia or maybee we will sharpen the axe and swords, take aut the dragonboats and come abroad for one or two raids in your village

the 6,6 foot tall redhaired crazy Dane


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Dennisgrosen,

My village is tiny. I am sure you could probably take it solo. Though a dragontractor may be a better vehicle. 

Brian


----------



## libraryman

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Great find of my two favorite woods. However, be careful that your dehumidifier operates continually until the wood is dry. Worse mistake you can make is storing green lumber in your shop/basement with all that water vapor quickly rusting your table saw and other tools. By quick I mean leaving it unattended for a week then seeing what happens. Ask me how I know this. Get it out of there if the dehumidifier fails or buy a new one quickly.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


I have been running it continuosly for the last 6 months, and it seems to be doing a good job. Thanks for the tip though.


----------



## Fireball

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Re: the planer, definitely go with the 735. Great deal on the wood. The hardest part will be waiting around to use it!


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


You are very patient. I buy kiln dried because I am like the little fella who couln't wait for christmas.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *A Viking Tale*
> 
> 
> 
> It was in the spring of 975 A.D. when Erik the Red's 1st cousin, thrice removed, Sven the Brunette with blond highlights, headed out in his longship for weekend of pillage and camaraderie with his buddies. Sven was a giant of a man, standing 6' 8" tall, with a barrel chest, and a thick beard, also with blonde highlights. His friends were also rather large and one might say malodorous (of course one wouldn't say that until 1840 or later, as the word didn't exist in 975, but I digress). They headed out to sea, towards a little village, which they expected would put up scant resistance to their pillaging, and Sven had heard they had a nice day spa. He figured lads would be sore after a day of pillaging and he really needed a seaweed wrap.
> 
> Sven had not done a lot of pillaging in his life, he was more of a home body, but the continued success of his cousin, forced him to, according to his wife, 'get out more'. Apparently the other wives were beginning to talk. So off they went. As he stood at the head of the longboat, looking out over the waves, he thought about the conquests of Eric, and he thought about his other cousin, Bahn the rather grumpy. History has forgotten Bahn, but Sven knew only too well of his tales. He cringed as he remembered the stories of Bahn, with his massive hammer over head, screaming as he ran into the villages, 'Fear my hammer, fear the Wrath of Bahn!'. This cry would cause the men to tremble and the women to swoon. When the tales of Bahn were told back home, the men toasted him, and the women, well, they swooned too, except for Sven's wife. She hit him on the shoulder and gave him a dirty look. That night was a cold and lonely one for Sven.
> He spent the next week fashioning a massive hammer from his best wood. He reinforced the handle and polished it to a fine sheen. He then gathered his smelly friends and told them of his plan for fame and riches. The lads were not terribly bright, and they all liked the idea of getting away from the wife and kids for a weekend.
> 
> As the little village came into view, his excitement almost overwhelmed him. They had been crossing the sea all day and were eager for battle. Sven had been practicing his war cry in his head. The boat crept ashore, down the coast from the village. They made their way through the woods, over the glen, and soon they saw the village. There were several dozen huts, people milling about, an ox pulling a scratch plough, and children playing near the center of town. It was just as Sven imagined.
> 
> He led his band of Viking Warriors down the hill. As they got within ear shot, Sven yelled out his battle cry, wielding his hammer with bravado. The bravado was short lived. The town's people all heard the cry, and a group of women, washing clothes in the stream at the edge of town, defeated Sven, not with weapons, but with their laughter. Not just laughter, but a full on eruption of boisterous chortling, with a fair amount of finger pointing. Several woman, laughed so hard that they slipped and fell into the stream.
> 
> Sven's friends, his Viking hoard, stopped soon after hearing the battle cry, and the aforementioned laughter. They just shook their heads, turned around, and headed back to the boat. Sven was crushed. He was confused and didn't understand what had happened. The lads got back in the boat, snickering, and waited for Sven. When he returned and demanded to know why they had stopped, Holgar spoke up, and said, "I've got wood!?...Massive hard wood!?...Really? THAT was your battle cry?...Did you think it through?" The rest of the hoard busted out laughing, and continued through the night as they returned home. It didn't stop until most of them had gone to bed, but quickly started up again, when they told the tales of their great adventure. Sven said, he would never pillage again, and his wife said she loved him regardless, which was all he wanted in the first place.
> 
> So with Sven in mind, I declare, "I've got LUMBER, really massive lumber." When I began my journey into woodworking, I imagined creating all sorts of beautiful tables and chairs, with exotic woods, and stunning grain patterns. I don't think I ever spent even a moment, thinking about where one gets beautiful lumber, for I knew that, unlike most things, lumber did grow on trees.
> 
> The book 'Selecting and Drying Wood', which is a collection of articles from Fine woodworking magazine, has opened my eyes to the challenges involved in selecting and buying lumber. I have learned that one should be prepared when they head out to buy those bits of trees that will become treasured projects. Roland Johnson's article in the book, suggests that one have a 'kit' for their trips to the lumberyard. He believed in taking a flashlight, gloves, tape measure, moisture meter, clip board with cut list, pencil, and even a hand plane. I wouldn't have thought of any of these things, with the possible exception of a cut list. The book also taught me the value of trying to select pieces of lumber that are from the same tree and gave tips on how one can determine if two boards go together. I had no idea how much the color can vary between different trees of the same species. I didn't know what heartwood was or how one could use defects in a board to match it to another board from the same tree.
> 
> I learned that rough cut lumber is cheaper than the kiln dried wood one finds at a lumber yard, and that rough cut wood needs to be air dried for 1 year per inch of thickness, if you don't have a kiln. I don't have a kiln. But most of all, I learned that one should always keep their eyes open for opportunities to get a good deal. It became apparent, after reading this book, that 50% of the skill of the master craftsman is their understanding of, and ability to find, truly special wood.
> 
> 
> 
> A few weeks back I made a purchase. I bought some rough cut walnut and cherry from a gentleman who advertised on craigslist. I bought approximately 340 board feet of rough cut lumber. I have been inventorying every piece, and I haven't finished, but when finished, I will have a detailed record of what I have in the stacks. The lumber was cut in June of last year. 80% of it is 1 inch thick and should need another 6 months of drying, while the remaining 20% is 3 - 4 inches thick and obviously won't be ready for several years. The breakdown is 20% Cherry and 80% Walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know if I got a good deal. I paid $400.00 for the lot, or $1.17 per board foot. It feels like a good deal to me, and I will get lots of hours of enjoyment from my lumber. I am learning how to build stacks. I didn't even know what a sticker was, before I needed one. And perhaps the best part, is the joy I feel when I walk downstairs to my basement (where I have the dehumidifier running 24/7), and see the stacks I am building. There is something great about having lots of wood.


Sorry, my last post was rudely interrupted by a non-woodworking related urgency (aka - work).

Indeed, there are plenty who share the same sense of humour and it's fun to read your diatribe.

Just be careful where you shout out that you have really massive lumber. Reserve it for special occasions…

I work in a world that is surrounded more and more with less and less individuals who catch cultural references. It is painful. Most of my dry wit falls flat but at least I can chuckle in my mind. Even simple Shakespearean analogies are met with the sound of crickets… Which is the most annoying because if you are an anglophone I consider this a basic (or basis… Or fodder).

Enjoy watching your wood dry!


----------



## Ecocandle

*Photographing my Blog pt. 1*



If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
-Richard Avedon

I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.

The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.

In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.

Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
 







In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.

So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


----------



## GMman

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Sorry my friend but long post like that I don't read as many more like me.
I like it short and sweet.


----------



## Trikzter

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


A worthwhile read none the less. Good idea for those that would like to take better pictures of their projects.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


I enjoyed the blog Brian and someday I might make use of the lessons you provided.

Now, since I was an attentive student, I will complete the task the professor assigned….

My camera is a I880 Motorola Nextel phone camera. I didn't see a raw setting, but did see a "crap" one and it seems to be the default 

While selling stock photos would seem a non-viable option, there is always that potential to catch a senator picking his nose, or Tiger Woods standing outside a clinic, in which cases it would appear that quality is not a deciding factor. Besides, people are less suspicious over a phone than they are when someone is setting up the tripod 

Thank you for sharing your knowledge of photography. I have played around with various software packages and your insight is definitely appreciated.

David


----------



## Alonso83

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Very nice blog Brian,

Totally worth reading if you want to learn something new.

I really enjoy your blogs, like I said before, there are just a few in here that will do so much work to make such a nice blog. I also share your passion for photography, but still far from you, nice quality pics, may I ask what kind of gear do you use?

Mine is a Nikon D5000 with a AF-S 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G VR, AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G,Speedlight SB-600, a few polarized filters and a couple of reflectors and diffusers. I'm really looking for lighting set up like this, hopefully I'll get it soon.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


One question - where do I sell my kids? Never mind - they are too old anyway …


----------



## Broda

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Olympus E-620 with a 14-42 1:3.5-5.6 and 70-300 1:4-5.6 (slow, I know) but Its good enough for where I'm at with photography for the moment. Polarising,Warm and UV filters, tripod and my Lowepro bag. thats about it.Oh, and my LIGHT TENT


----------



## Alonso83

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Clever idea Brody, I got to try it, thanks for sharing

Alonso


----------



## pommy

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


i liked the read as i have with all your blogs as for the camara i love photography but i have a simple point and shot OLYMPUSm700 it has 23 shot options and if one of thoughs dont work then i'm never going to get a good picture


----------



## Broda

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Thanks Alonso but I cant take credit for the idea, as much as I would like to. I believe it was THIS GUY


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Konica-Minolta 7d; 90mm Tamron Macro lens (my most-used lens). Tripod? What's a tripod. oh yah… that thing! haha (just kidding I use it for my macro photography).


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Thanks for this blog Brian, I appreciate the time and effort you've made to improve our photos. I'm not going for the ultimate, but I sure did learn a few valuable things here. I really needed this info to improve my pictures. *A tripod, timed shot, light diffusion? *Now I know why I keep getting those fuzzy close-ups too. My camera is a Leica digilux zoom. It has a great lens if only I can learn to use it better. I don't usually use the flash. I really have to reread the instruction book since I have been using the camera in a very primitive way.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


I have half a dozen digital point and shoots. I guess I keep buying them to improve my pics. I shot a lot in my youth with a couple of Pentax bodies and a range of lenses. So I understand F-stops and ISO and depth of field etc. All of my early shooting was outside. This inside stuff with digital has me stumped. I should know better and get out my old tripod. And maybe invest in some lights.

Steve


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


With all of the things to spend money on in woodworking, next we might try to bring photography into the mix (arguably it fits well in the context of this forum…)? I'll probably be the one posting scanned drawings I drew or that I made with Google SketchUp! : ) Sincerely Brian, your photography skills are evidently excellent (I especially liked the one with the shadow of the sun on the water between the mountains).

Bill


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Thanks for the post I will be watching for the rest of the series.


----------



## Raspar

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Just a FYI not may of the point and shoots will do RAW format. If you are in the market for one the Canon s90 does shoot raw and is a great PandP camera.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Rasper,

My mother has a Powershot G10, which is a high end point and shoot. It takes 12 mega pixels and she told me today, after reading my post, that she wants me to teach her how to use raw again. I still think it is best to help your children find fullfillment in the garmet industry and to get a high end Nikon or Cannon, but I will leave that up to yo u.

Brian


----------



## Raspar

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


I do shoot a nikon DSLR, but carrying it around all the time is cumbersome. And for most people they do not want to deal with all the gear. The g10, s90, and I was hanging out with some of the lightroom developers the other night and allot of new gear is head our way and the features are going to be nice. What ever you have though will make nice picks if you take the time to look at the composition of the pic before pushing the button. Great article BTW, is nice when we can help others out.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Years ago I made the "commitment" to Nikon…. so for me it's a fancy pants Nikon. You can't tell with my project pics. I luck out once in awhile…. though you are right, I should take more care.


----------



## ArcticTroy

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 1*
> 
> 
> 
> If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.
> -Richard Avedon
> 
> I didn't know about the work of Richard Avedon before his exhibit at the Corcoran at the end of 2008. As a volunteer docent at the gallery I got to hear a lecture from the curator of his traveling exhibit, and learn about his amazing works. I became a fan. This wasn't the beginning of my love of photography, but it definitely gave me a jolt of energy to continue to practice and work to improve. My weakest area is the use of lighting; in fact, I just had 3 of my images rejected for 'poor or uneven lighting'. I am not kidding, as I was typing that sentence I stopped to check a message from Shutterstock, and sure enough the images I used in the blogs 'The English Plane' and the image of the 'stack' were rejected. I don't sweat those setbacks, because I submit my images to 6 different sites, and it is rare that the inspectors agree, so they will probably get reject by 2 of the 6.
> 
> The point is that the subject of proper lighting is somewhat subjective. There are however universal sins. Harsh lighting is always bad. The most common cause of this unfortunate faux pas is the use of an on camera flash. How does one tell if the lighting is harsh? The truth is in the shadows. If one wants to improve their photography, striving to eliminate the hard shadows is a great first step. I am not an expert, as I have said, but I can share the tips I have learned.
> 
> In learning how to create 'saleable' images for stock sites, I have read thousands of forum posts, several books, and a few tea leaves, trying to unravel the mysteries. One of the first tips I would give is to take your photos, with the camera on a tripod, and use the timer. The reason for this is that you are able to shoot in situations where the light isn't spectacular. I don't mean to digress again, but I should mention a little bit about light, and the way cameras work.
> 
> Assuming you not shooting in manual mode (and if you are good enough to shoot on manual, you don't need to continue reading, so go eat a donut and come back in a paragraph or two), your camera is using the tiny computer inside of it. That computer is taking a reading of the available light and it is deciding how quickly it need to open its shutter to get a picture that you will be proud of. Your camera really wants to do a good job for you. When you and your camera are shooting outdoors, with natural light, the camera has a lot more flexibility with how it is able to take the shot. But when you are indoors, in a workshop for instance, under artificial light, the camera looks out into the room and sees almost total darkness. It decides that in order to get a shot that has enough light it must keeps its shutter open for 2, 3, 5 or more seconds.
> Now that may not seem like a long time, when compared to the life of a star, or even the time it takes to learn woodworking, but in the world of photography it is an eternity. To hand hold your camera, it needs to open and close its shutter in 1/60th of 1 second. If it is open for twice as long or 1/30th of a second, the vibration from your pulse will cause there to be camera shake. This will lead to a slightly blurry image, and force your significant other to lie to you about how much he or she likes your picture. This is why we want to use a tripod, we don't need to hold the camera, hence the camera can keep its shutter open until it feels there is enough light to get a clear image. Having the camera lounging on a tripod isn't enough to eliminate camera shake though, you must also use the timer, lest the slight vibration from the pressing of the button, undo your efforts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the world of stock photography, the top photographers shoot medium format Hasselblad, with Carl Zeiss lens, and a digital back. This set up will set you back fifty to sixty thousand dollars. Do you need to run out and buy equipment of this quality? Well, yes you do. I would recommend, if your children are young enough, that you sell a couple them. Another, less recommended option, is to keep the children and introduce them to the joys of spending their afternoons working in a sweat shop. You should still be able to get some nice Nikon or Canon equipment. That being said, it will still take you a little while to get your new equipment, so you will need to get along with your current set up. This is fine, as long as you don't let it go on for too long. If you have a digital camera, even if it isn't a fancy pants Nikon or Cannon, it is likely that there will be different write setting which determines how the camera takes the image and writes it to the disk. Once you find the different settings, there will likely be something like, small, medium, large, fine, and raw, or something along those lines. Basically it is determining how high a quality image you are taking. The important one is Raw. Shooting in raw will drastically reduce your memory card capacity, but that is what you want to use. The reason is that in raw, your little camera is basically capturing all the information it needs to make lots of adjustments after the fact.
> I can tell by my word count that I have rambled on a bit, and I am not close to finishing my photographing woodworking rant, so I will make this a multiple part series. So before I put this drivel to bed for the night, let me reiterate the main points. Use a tripod, because it gives you flexibility with regards to lighting, and shoot in raw, because after you shoot, you can make adjustments to the image, to get it to look the way you want.
> Once you have shot the image and downloaded it to your computer, you will be given an option to open the image in an editing program, usually included with the camera. This is where you can play with the image. You are able to overexpose (make brighter) or underexpose (make darker) the image. You are able to adjust temperature of the light (a future post will go into greater detail about warm vs. cold light) I have included 4 images, the 1st one is cold, the second one is warm, the third one has the black increased, and the 4th one is desaturated and darkened to create a black and white image. They are all from the same single shot, taken in raw. I hope this illustrates the value of raw and will encourage you to give it a try. I also have included a shot showing my lights.
> 
> So class, I expect that you are all eager to try out the tips from today's lecture. Your homework is to write a brief description of the camera equipment that you have in the comments section. Also I invite you to pose any specific questions you might have, though I must warn you that I am not good with world capitals or the periodic table of the elements.


Brian, and gang, couple pointers if you don't mind.

Shooting in RAW is definitely recommended, but mainly cause you can adjust the color temperature in many converter apps. Beyond that, there isn't much else that is different, except that there is more data, so edits are technically more refined.

Some additional sharpness tips include using a cable or timer shutter release and mirror lockup. Both will significantly provide more sharpness.

Lighting is huge, but this isn't the time or place. There is plenty more info on this subject. If you get some time, google "Product Photography"


----------



## Ecocandle

*Photographing my Blog pt. 2*



I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'. 
When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.

Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.

Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.

This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.



The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Thanks again Brian I'm still following the posts. Keep up the good work!!!
IMHO a photography class or 2 in High School should be mandatory in all schools.
I took a class at a Junior College in Kansas City Missouri, Penn Valley JC, and it really helped me out. That was 30 years ago so your posts are a great review for me.
John Gray


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


I am glad you enjoyed it John.

To everyone else, I know that I usually post around 8 am, but tonight a pre blog nap broke out and kept me occupied for a while.


----------



## DarkWolf

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


The issue with tall buildings looking askew is because of perspective shifting, not "vignetting" and can be corrected with ungodly expensive tilt-shift lenses, equally expensive photoshop or cheap to free software such as GIMP.

The issue of bowing is more often than not caused by combo lenses these days where when zoomed all the way out they act more like wide angle lenses. These lenses can often give a fish bowl appearance to pictures. Once zoomed in, the focal shift against the lens changes and a smaller section of the center is used, which is flatter and does not bow outward for wide angle shots.

Vignetting is the condition in which the four corners of the picture appear darker due to lens shadow.

Tilt shifting can also be used to make scenes appear as though they are miniature as it shifts the depth of field along two parallel paths. More often than not this affect is done digitally these days, as can be seen here in GIMP .

I remember photography class in Highschool well.. It was in shop, had a darkroom and we worked strictly in black and white.

I much prefer Photoshop and Lightroom.. But I'm a digital geek.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


You are absolutely right. My bad. I will fix the post. Thanks for the help.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


You do get around don't you Brian? Woodworking, photography, writing, blogging, and whatever it is you do for a living must keep you extremely busy. If you aren't extremely busy, I'll have to like you decidely less because that means you're one of those people that are very good at what you do and make it look easy. So, if it doesn't take you at least a good three or four hours to write one of these blog entries and another one or two hours to post it in several places, we have nothing in common. If we're on such different levels in blogging, I'm sure we're on different levels on everything else too. You'll soon be turning out two projects a week in addition to everything else like some of the experts do around here and I'll feel different about you. I don't think I can stand reading a blog that's funny, well written, well illustrated and photographed, and by an expert woodworker too. Oh bother, can anything else go wrong today. I'm going to have to adjust my medication again I can tell.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


I'm definitely out of my depth here in spite of the f stop, but I still appreciate the tips and I will try my best to follow them, at least the ones I understand. One problem with taking photos in the shop is that when one is working on a project, it's hard to find an area that isn't cluttered to take a pic.


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Thanks for the post, Brian. I am a complete novice when it comes to photography. If the camera works when I push the button then I assume that all is well.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Thanks Brian.

So what about Macro or that little Flower Icon that is on a camera. If one wanted to take a close up of a small item, would it be better to use the Macro feature, or zoom in from a distance.

I believe I know that it 'depends', but I had to ask something.

Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Steve,

The dirtly little secret of photography is that the shots people see are a very small percentage of the shots taken. I had a friend who did stringer work for sports illustrated a long time ago, before digital. He told me that an average cover, the photographer usually took in the neighborhood of 3000 photos, to get the one they used.

That being said, I would use the flower icon, if you are taking a shot of a piece of detail from your project, and I would zoom in on a small project. Though to be truthful, I might try both, and take a lot of shots, then pick the one that has the most appeal.

Brian


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Brian, been shooting since high school and personally am glad to go to digital. You can shoot as much as you might like, edit at the computer, no film and chemical costs, no dedicated space etc and a modest priced Cannon point & shoot allows me to think about composition and other things that are more important. I'll have to remember to check the edges, very good tip.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


always great to have some rewiew educasion for an amateur like me that fiddle around with
a mamia rb 67 and had mixed some cemicals in the dark room under the kandlelight ,with glass of redwine in my hands while the gassplates went thruogh the processing and developed philosophize over how fast
and easy things has to be done now a days instead of enjoying the process and relax when you do it.

thank´s for ´sharing your knowledge with us

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Dennis,

You make a valid point. 25 years ago, the first time I hovered around my photography teacher, trying not to knock over chemicals, as she explained the joys of burning and dodging, I found the expeience thrilling. Sadly, she told me that I really wasn't very good at processing. She wasn't mean about it, and I had already determined that it wasn't my forte, but she was very encouraging about my abililties with the camera. So I abandoned the dark room with a bit of sadness. I remember reading about how Ansel Adams would take a picture that looked boring at the time he took it, and through careful and artful manipluation of the negative, he would get a great work of art. This always seemed like something to aspire to, yet I never did.

Years later, I would go to the Annie Leibovitz and Ansel Adams show at the Corcoran in DC. It turns out that she hated the darkroom and didn't print her stuff at all. The next year, I worked during the Richard Avedon exhibit, and he never went in the darkroom, but would have his assistants do the work, bring him the print, he would tell them how to improve the print, and they would return. He would do this dozens of time, until he got the image he wanted.

From this, I determined that there are many ways to enjoy the artist process of photography. Which brings me to the point about processing in today's age of digital. If you are one who likes the process, then you might want to investigate the tools available in photoshop CS 3 or 4. Though I was never any good in the dark room, and didn't get to spend the enjoyable hours tweaking my images, I am now able to get that joy in photoshop. I have images that I have spent 2 - 3 hours working on. Usually it is me combining two identical shots, one taken greatly overexposed and one taken greatly underexposed and combining them to get an image that resembles what I saw at the time. This is common in difficult lighting situations, especially when I take images of stained glass window or shots in caves. The human eye sees so much more than the camera is able to capture, so by combining the two images, I can recreate the beauty which I saw.

The point is that the joy of the artistic side is still there, it just isn't as expensive and doesn't require a dark room.

Thanks for reading.


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Brian,

Very interesting, as always, even for a nothing-special photographer like me. For instance, I never realized that combining an overexposed and an underexposed shot was done, let alone that it is common.

Now you mention caves! Are saying that you are a spelunker as well? I got a good laugh from what OutPutter(Jim) said above. Now this!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Chuck,
This picture looks exactly the way I remember it, when I was there, but it took me 3 hours to combine the two shots to get the image I wanted. The 3 hours was a joy and worth every minute, in my humble opinion.

I am not a spelunker. I don't know that I could explore a cave, but touring a cave that is open to the public, is something I truely enjoy. Photographing the beauty of caves takes a bit of work though.










Thanks for reading Chuck,

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Brian 
11 years ago I was on a scool where I toke a class of photo… and the teacher introduse us to the great
Ansel Adams and his black/white teknik and I still think its damm hard to get near him but I can´t get tiered
off looking at those posters that I have seen so far (sadly not the original ) but still, I continue to get a thrill
every time I see the pictures from the skyescrabers I think the way he did it was the clossest you can get to
3D with only one picture and he did it in Black and white beleive it or not even that most off his pictures 
don´t say people anything today, if you just make "a shoot and fire" , he is one of the old masters not that
there ain´t great pfotographers today but I think if people get the oppotunity to see an exebition of some
off the old ones they shuold go and see them. if you know what I meen

sorry for my spelling it´s realy hard to express how you feel abaut things when the English is so dam rusty
it´s 32 years ago that Ihave used it so much as I have here on L J it realy take me long time to write these
few lines allso becourse I a neaderthaler on a typeboard and thats why most of my comment´s are short
in words but always long in my head becourse I realy want to say what I mean but can´t I don´t have enoff
time )
Dang you realy got me aut of my safezone on this one
thank´s for that. hope I didn´t bored you but it was only becourse you put so much work in your blog´s
that I thought you deserve a response with a lot off work in
my brain is cooked now so I will just say ceep them coming

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Dennis,

I think your repsonse was wonderful. I really appreciate it. What is your first language?

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


I thought you knew from the last blog with the Viking taile
it´s Danish

just for the record I saw my swambo on that photocourse for the first time now we have a daughter
she is ten in April and can never win an ague while I´m the only man in the house 

Dennis


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


I used to love the hours in the dark room before digital came along (wink, wink… nudge nudge).

Brian, the care you take in your photographs is amazing.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Photographing my Blog pt. 2*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been giving one tip to people for years. It is so simple, I hesitate to even call it a tip, but alas I don't have a thesaurus handy, so I have little choice. This applies to every photo, whether it is an image of your latest woodworking project or a prize winning picture of a yeti. The last thing I do, before I press the button, is to slowly force myself to run my eyes around the edge of the image. I know it sounds dumber than Jethro Bodine, but that is because it is so easy. In the words of a thousand commercials for footwear, 'Just Do It'.
> When you start to look at the rest of the image, not just the finely turned bowl, you will notice that there is a corner of a box of diapers sneaking into the image. You will also get better at taking pictures of people. The stop sign that is 'growing' out of your girlfriend's head, or the car with your angry wife driving by the shoot, will suddenly pop out to you, and thus you can make slight adjustments (like making sure you take pictures of your girlfriend only when your wife is visiting her sister in Saginaw). This tip will work with any camera you have, though I still think you should get those lazy six years olds their first job, and get a fancy pants model. But I digress.
> 
> Along a similar line, when taking a picture of your work, if you wish to put some extra items in the background, like tools behind a project in process, or a delicious ham behind the aforementioned finely turned bowl, try to use a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the distance (or depth) in the image, which is in focus. This generally applies to SLRs (Single Lens Reflex…aka…fancy pants cameras), but there are some point and shoots which have this capability. My mom's camera, the Powershot G10, is able to set the f-stop. So when I say shallow depth of field, I mean a small number on your camera's lens, or a small f-stop. For example an aperture setting of 3.5 will cause the background to be out of focus, thus causing the subject to stand out, while f22 (f stands for aperture, I could make up a story for why they use f and not a, likely involving a priest, a Rabbi, and an Episcopalian yak farmer, but I have already digressed.), would leave everything in focus. It is also important to understand how aperture works with light.
> 
> Shallow depth of field requires less light than a longer depth of field. This is helpful when you are taking pictures in artificial light, because the shutter doesn't need to stay open as long as it would if you were trying to have everything in focus. If you are getting really excited about photography and are starting to read up on the subject, you might run across the term 'fast lenses. This confused me for a long time. It is simply a lens that allows for a very shallow depth of field. They are generally much more expensive than a normal lens. For instance a zoom lens that goes to 300 mm, can be picked up for 3-400 dollars, a 'fast' lens, the giant lens that the photographers use on the sidelines of football games, those start at about $7000.00. This is not a lens you should need, as it is too 'long', for shooting your work, but it brings me to my next and last subject for the day.
> 
> This photo shows tilt shift in the table (sort of, it actually just demonstrates perspective, but you get the idea.), an annoying shiny bit from a Jet clamp in the top right corner, and also demonstrates shallow depth of field. This image can be improved substantially by simply removing the clutter in the top right corner. Were I to shoot it again, I would also slide the mortar slightly to the left. It feels slightly out of position where it is.
> 
> 
> 
> The amount of zoom you should use when shooting. If you are limited in space, you can use the wide angle portion of your lens, or zoom out. Zooming out, a back up the image, but it also causes something called bowing. Have you ever taken a picture of a tall object, like a dresser, and in the photo it looks warped? That is bowing. If you are taking a picture of a tall building, the building seems to bow out and the edges don't run parallel with the sides of the image. That is tilt shifting. It can be corrected in Photoshop CS 2, 3, or 4, but that runs you another $1000 and 8 or 9 months of intensive study to master, so fixing it, is not the best solution. It is better to try to take the image of your dresser from a greater distance and then zooming in on it. This will give you much better results. If you can put the dresser in one room, and stand out in the hall and zoom in, you will be much happier with the results. One last note, if you are taking a close up of your girlfriend's face while your wife is in Michigan, then try to stand further away, such that the zoom is at 135mm. This will be much more flattering. That is all for now. I am off to do some woodworking.


Mtkate,

Nudge as good as a wink to a blind bat..eh sire.


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Twins*



I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.

The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.

In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.

I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.



Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.

I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.



Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.

I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


The twins are wonderful!!! Did you have the same smile as the woman in the FWW article? She looked so happy building them.

Soft and fuzzy memories are a good thing.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


She did look happy. And I would say I did.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


These look great! Nicely done (of course it could be the great photography).


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


If it's a problem then I have it too I spend more time thinking thru a project and reminiscing about the past than doing. *;-)*
A friend from my school days,1st thru 12th grades, was in town and dropped by a couple of weeks ago….we had a great afternoon talking about the "good ol' days" ours were about the 1950's and the early 1960's…..


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


this seems to be building up to something ,
all your posts have women in them .

are you getting ready to build a boat ?

what will be her name ?

oh , teri and tracy are keepers for sure ,
well done !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


Patron,

I like to play to the crowd. "She Took My Breath Away" is my most popular post to date. I could have talked about the Brands brothers who wrestled for Iowa, but most of the stories I have of them, they probably wouldn't like repeated.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


Maybe if you'd keep your mind on saw horses instead of thinking about Teri and Tracy then it might not take you a month to build two saw horses! : ) What about finishing?

Bill


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


Good, I am glad to see that you were just pandering to the masses. For a minute there, I thought the free-association was going to get the better of you and instead of burdening the horses with some lumber you would have to burden the lumber down at the local watering hole (at least, I assume they have a local watering hole in your little town).

Nice work!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


Kacy…you would be wrong. Martelle has a gas station and a grain elevator.

Bill…I may finish them in the spring. I have read that ventilation is important and I am afraid to try it inside.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


Well, if your ever in New Orleans or Baton Rouge let me know … I think we might be able to find one here.

By the way, I second the suggestion of some finish-maybe multiple coats of poly. It would be a shame to get the girls all knocked around without some protection.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


"Knocked around" sounds so much like "knocked up" especially sans protection.

Brian, get that poly-prophylactic on them before you bring a male sawhorse in the house…

Beautiful work Brian. A true labor of love and it shows.

David


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


You did a very good job on these Brian. With all due respects to the gentlemen above, I wouldn't finish them with poly. They will just get scraped up and look bad after awhile. Plus they would be a bit slippery. If you use a wipe on danish oil which has resins, once dry and polished a bit it will protect from finger prints and dirt and still be easy to renew occasionally.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


Very sound advice Mike. I just couldn't associate danish oil with prophylactic and still make it sound funny 

Thanks for still calling me a gentleman…

David


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


They are so pretty. So young.

Finish them with oil.

So you are done building them. This is often a sad part of my projects. I spend so much time thinking about them, then poof. I guess kind of like comming to the end of a good book or a movie.

Congrats,
Steve


----------



## jbertelson

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


Great looking…......ponies….....horses doesn't sound right. Glad I am not the only one into naming things. I'll be fourth in a row to recommend oil. I have objects, such as a tool tote, [ Tommy tool tote (-: ] that has been around for 22 years in hard use finished with Danish oil. The finish doesn't get damaged by a scratch, and you can recoat it easily.

I will not elaborate on my infamous propensity to ruminate about projects…..............


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


Oil does sound good. I may take the advice of my wise readers. Let me pose this question then…Can I do it indoors, in the winter, or should I wait until it is warm enough to head outside for the ventilation. I fear the fumes.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *The Twins*
> 
> 
> 
> I stand by my bench with my sander in hand. As I move it slowly over the piece of saw horse I see the marks of my progress. I gently pass over the little imperfections that taught me how not to us a chisel. I think about the progress. I think about the grain and how it measures time.
> 
> The building of the Krenov saw horses is supposed to take an afternoon, but if you are really skilled you can make it take a month. I am a person with this level of skill. Time is a funny thing and as I sanded away the wood, in effect removing little bits of time, I thought about my two saw horses. They would look very similar, sort of like twins, but each one unique.
> 
> In the late 70's the skateboard was all the rage. Not much more than roller skate wheels on a slab of plastic, it filled the summer of my 5th grade year with joy. Riding the skateboard was fun, but the real joy was hanging out with Doug, Marty, Paul, Jenny, Teri and Tracy and riding down the hill by our school. It wasn't a steep hill, but to make the turn onto the sidewalk at the bottom was quite the challenge. Once we had all mastered that, we tried going down in pairs, with each person sitting on their board and holding hands with the other with legs crossed. Making that turn was next to impossible and most attempts ended in wonderful crashes and laughter. It was also generally a mixed doubles sport.
> 
> I think I am hopeless romantic today, because of those days holding hands with Teri Holtz, riding down the hill. As I sanded the boards and admired the little differences that make the saw horses unique, my thoughts drifted back to Teri's freckles. Tracy, her twin sister, didn't have so many. To say the Holtz twins were 'cute as a buttons', would be to sorely understate their appeal. I think the saw horses are equally lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> Each minute sands away more and more of the imperfections. The legs, the feet, and the stretchers become smooth and soft to the touch. I spend a couple of hours sanding and waxing nostalgic. When I am done, I glue her up. Her twin waits patiently off to the side. While the glue is setting I think about what I have learned about woodworking.
> 
> I have cut 2 mortises, 2 through mortises, and six tenons by hand. My skill with a chisel and Japanese saw is better than when I begun. I have used Mary to shape the feet. I have spent lots and lot of time sanding. The understanding of how to mark up a board, and then cut to the line is now ingrained in my mind. And in the end, I have two saw horses that are 'cute as a button'.
> 
> 
> 
> Marty died a while back. I heard that Jenny has 6 kids. I don't know what became of Kate, Paul or Doug, and I haven't talked to Teri or Tracy since high school. They are different people today; I am sure, as am I. They may not even remember that summer. It really doesn't matter much. I am sure that time has worn away the edges a bit and I may not remember it exactly as it was. In truth, I am left with a soft, fuzzy memory of a simpler time, and wonderful little crush, with a bit of hand holding. It makes me smile.
> 
> I wonder if I will remember the joys of building my first saw horses. I wonder if the little nicks and cuts, now sanded away, will remain with me. I doubt it. But in 30 years, when I look at the twins, I am sure I will have a soft, fuzzy memory of how they came to be, and it will make me smile.


hasn't killed us yet .
put it on where ever you like ,
just remember it sinks in and dries better if it's warm .


----------



## Ecocandle

*Confusion and Cats*



"Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton

You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.

I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.

I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.

I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.

I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?

If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?

If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?

If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?

As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


Chaos is OK some times…

I have ordered from Rockler many times. It usually takes about five UPS days to my home in MA.

We have two cats - each of my boys choose one of them. They came from the same house and were born a few days apart in two different litters. It is one of those houses with so many cats that they really do not know how many they have. Nice people though.

The female is an amazing hunter, but maybe a bit inbred. Remember the song "Smelly Cat" from Friends? I like to sing, "Wacky Cat, Wacky Cat, how have they been breeding you? Wacky Cat, Wacky Cat, why did they inbreed you?"

The male, that we thought was a female until the first vet visit, is beautiful but odd. From a very early stage, he preferred to drink from the sink in our downstairs bathroom. He lets the water run right onto the back of his head and then licks it from the sink. He has those extra toes that look like thumbs, so I do not understand why he is not able to turn the water on and off by himself. Sometimes, the female will join him and lick the water off of the back of his head.

I think that they just might be the type for a horoscope.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


For the Black Cat: (Taurus: You find that having opposable thumbs has made you the evolutionary superior to your flat mate. Sadly, your flatmate is an evil genius and way too wacky to fully grasp your own greatness. Spend some time treating yousrself to a shampoo. Avoid the cat nip.)

For the Wacky Cat (Aries: Your mind games have begun to work, the black kitty now believes he is a hair stylist, soon he will be under your complete control. You will then be able to make him do your bidding. Send him out to build an army, to complete your plans for world dominations. Act Aloof)


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


Chaos, thy name is not cat. Cat is disciplined, organised, independent. Cat is not dependent on man but rather makes man dependent on her.Cat knows the importance of play while man knows only work.Cat enjoys a beautiful piece of music. Man enjoys a mindless game on the boob tube--boob tube man tube-no wonder man is is chaos.


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


ROCKLER SHIPS *FAST!!!*


----------



## jlsmith5963

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


My experience is Rockler's shipping is pretty quick (not 5 days but I don't usually keep track).

It is possible that your notion that your "... worried about making a poor choice" is a misdiagnosis of the situation. Which plate to buy isn't a 'hamburger vs steak' choice, it's a 'steak vs steak' choice which is always more difficult (unless your a vegan).


----------



## ACP

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


Rockler ships very fast in the Midwest. I think they have thier warehouse in the Twin Cities. I have had stuff arrive for me in two days. If I were you I'd just make the short drive to Des Moines and go to the Woodsmith store and see what they have. I love that place!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


I have considered that. It is only about 2.5 hours from Martelle. I am starting to think that I may just order from Rockler though.


----------



## douginaz

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


Hi Brian, thought you might like to peruse this site for your routertable needs.

http://www.theroutermaniac.com/router-table-project-readers-projects/

Lots off stuff to consider.

Sorry, not a cat guy.

Doug in AZ.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


Brian, (or is it Ecocandle? Now , that's confusion, too.) 
Two things, I can raise either eyebrow independantly. It just take practice. Don't let your eyebrows deny you.
And, you may want to look into this nice Veritas router table system.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,43053&p=43885
There's always another lovely router system.
Just adds to the chaos, doesn't it?
Best regards,
db


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


*INFORMATION:*

*Deluxe Router Table PWW Magazine*
http://popularwoodworking.com/article/deluxe_router_table/

*2nd Installment Router Table Revisited PWW Magazine*
http://popularwoodworking.com/article/2nd_installment_router_table_revisited/

*Jim's Redesigned Router Table PWW Magazine*
http://popularwoodworking.com/article/jims_redesigned_router_table/
http://popularwoodworking.com/upload/contents/290/deluxe%20router%20table.pdf


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


our cat peed on the bathroom floor yesterday.

Routers .. .don't talk to me about routers…. No confusion there! I don't like them.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Confusion and Cats*
> 
> 
> 
> "Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light shone, and order from disorder sprung." -John Milton
> 
> You might have to read that quote a couple of times. It is about confusion and after I read it the first time, it confused me even more. I wonder if that was Milton's goal. Today, I was ruled by confusion. I felt like every moment from the first light of day, until now, has been a disorganized mess. I had several things pulling me in different directions. As the work day came to an end, I started to think about today's blog. Again confusion raised his befuddled head.
> 
> I finished the saw horses. I haven't finished them yet. See, even my blog is confusing. I should have said, though I haven't applied a coat or two of finish to the saw horses, I have completed the construction. I intend to apply a finish to them. I also need to decide on my next project, for without a project, there isn't woodworking, and without woodworking, there isn't a blog. Oh sure I could ramble on about something else, perhaps discussing changes in cheese making technology, or look into recent attempts to unionize hurdy gurdy players, or even write horoscopes for cats. (Leo: You look purrfect today, people admire you, and they want to be near you, to serve you and do your bidding…in other words, same old thing. A new ball of yarn catches your eye. Play with fuzzy ball, nap, play some more and repeat.) But those things don't really interest me.
> 
> I also consider the possibility of just skipping a day. I could do that. What is the worst that could happen? I could go hang out with some friends at the Sports Column in Iowa City. Of course, breaking my streak of 27 days would probably make me feel awful tomorrow, lead to more drinking, and missing of another day. This vicious circle would continue for a fortnight, leading to unemployment, incredible depression, the adoption of a dozen cats (One for each sign), and ultimately the writing of catascopes. So skipping a day seems like a bad idea.
> 
> I could ramble on about being confused…no that wouldn't work…or would it?! Damn I wish I could raise one eyebrow, stupid eyebrowus parallelus. Could I possibly be confused for an entire blog post? Has it ever been done? I could look it up on Google or should I use Yahoo. I just don't know. I started watching the Tage Frid video, from Taunton Press, and it is marvelous. Maybe I could write a review. Nope, I'm not feeling it today.
> 
> I know what I want to work on. I want to build a router table. No confusion there. The problem is that I am torn between two different router plates. Should I choose the Rockler Aluminum Router Table plate for Group A routers or the Kreg PRS3030 Precision Router Table Insert Plate? I have also considered the Rousseau 3509. I just don't know and I am worried about making a poor choice. They all look like they are fine quality. The Kreg is $10.00 more expensive, but it could be delivered on Monday, while the Rockler would not come from Amazon, and I have no idea how long it would take. Once I make my decision, I am going to be eager to work on the table. I can spend the weekend making the legs. I will use the same methodology I used in my workbench. So maybe I should just ask for help?
> 
> If you have built a router table do you have a recommendation?
> 
> If you have ordered stuff from Rockler, how was their shipping?
> 
> If you have a cat, would the cat appreciate having a horoscope written for him or her?
> 
> As you can see, I am still quite a mess. I will do better tomorrow. Sorry.
> Here is a picture of… a dog. This is Zoey; she lives next door to my parents, and really likes it when my dad rubs her belly. She never seems confused. I admit a cat would have been more appropriate, but I well…eh.


Don,

You may call me either Brian or Ecocandle. I didn't know about the Veritas system. It is now in the mix for consideration.

John,

The router table you gave links to is beautiful. I fear that at this stage of the game, beyond my skill set. I think I could maybe tackle something like that, after I get a table saw and have built a few more projects. Myabe it will be my 2nd router table.

Thanks both of your.

MsDebbieP,

Obviously your cat was upset at your reading my blog, as that time could have been spent paying attention to the cat. Best to read during one of the 17 daily naps.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency*



Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.

The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.

"Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"

"Yes, and you are?"

"I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"

Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.



After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"

Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."

As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.

Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.



The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.

He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


And….


> ?


?????.....................


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


I guess you will just have to tune in tomorrow.


----------



## Trikzter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


Yes been there done that, messes things up not allowing for the kerf of the blade


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


only the shadow knows ,

that closet sounds like something worthwhile ,

wish i had one .

wish i had a new woman in my life every night too ,
besides the ones selling soap on TV !

actually one would be just fine .

we could make router tables together ,
mistakes and all , into the sunset !


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


This sounds more like a Mike Hammer case to me, or it could bee the green hornet and only Cato knows.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


I think I've heard this story before, but I'm pretty sure the detective was Guy Noir … Garrison's lawyers are looking for your phone number!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


Well done Kacy…I do like Lake Woebegon, and I am pleased that you know Guy Noir….though any similarities are purely coicendental, and don't require any sort of litigation.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


My all time favorite Guy Noir line: "She was tall and dark and so beautiful you wanted to just give her all your money right way and skip the preliminaries." I can't even count the number of times that has happened to me.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


"What Evil lurks in the hearts of men-----"


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


I guess that I don't think that the glass is half full, nor do I think it is half empty.
I just think that it is twice as large as it needs to be. 
So I should take it to the shop and fix it.

Guy Noir has a sound effects guy, and your blog does not. I don't see this as fair.
Steve


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


Darn - was hoping it would be Sam Malone. Part II would have a big, blond, buxom, straight-talking assistant to help in cutting an 8 X 4 sheet of 3/4 ply…


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


Funny you should mention The Shadow. My youngest son dropped by today with a plug-in memory stick and downloaded some "Shadow" radio broadcasts from the old days. I used to listen to it on the radio when I was a kid. I often feel sorry for the newer generations because they never experienced the joy of radio drama. I will be tuning in tomorrow to hear the outcome of the investigation and the glue-up.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


I can promiss an finish to the glue-up, but I am not sure if the investigation will be complete by then. I may tease you for a few more posts. ;-)


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's head was still throbbing from ringing in the New Year. He looked at his calendar, a present from his brother in Manhattan, a New York Giants fan of all things. The calendar had a team picture of The World Series Champion Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians in 4 games. It was galling for him to look at and he mumbled to himself, "At least the damn Yankees didn't win their 6th in a row." For though Henry didn't care for the Giants, the previous two years had seen his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers beaten by the Yankees, and he could barely stand it. But looking at Jan 1, 1955 filled him with hope and optimism. This would be the year for Robinson, Hodges, Reese, Koufax, Newcomb, Campanella and the boys. His day dreams were interrupted when there was a mouse like knock at the door. He started to yell, "Come in", but then lowered his voice and mumbled, "Yes?" His head ache made him wince in pains.
> 
> The door opened slowly and a tall svelte woman eased herself into his office. Her dark hair was pulled back in a bun. She was really quite striking, but obviously shy. He guessed librarian. "May I help you?" He asked, trying not to sound miserable.
> 
> "Are you Henry Wood, the detective?"
> 
> "Yes, and you are?"
> 
> "I am Luna Alexander, and I am afraid my father has gotten into a sticky situation. I need your help. I am sorry to bother you, and I didn't think you would be here, but…"
> 
> Henry was a detective by day and a woodworker by night. To be truthful, he was a moderately good sleuth, but a subpar craftsman. Just two days earlier he had been gluing up a jig for his router, to cut perfect dados, and the squeeze out had gotten everywhere. It had been a sticky situation, in its own right. He turned his attention back to Luna, who he was sure wouldn't be interested in his gluing issues.
> 
> 
> 
> After she had told him about her father, his background and when she had last seen him, she asked if she might sit down. When she took a seat, it seemed as if the weight of the world was threatening to crush her. She looked defeated and sad. "Will you help me?"
> 
> Henry was about to say that it sounded like a missing persons matter for the police, but instead said, "I would be happy to take your case Luna." She gave the slightest smile, stood and shook his hand. Henry wasn't sure, but he thought he caught the briefest glint of hope in her eyes. She handed him an envelope and said, "My address and number are in there, along with the retainer. Please let me know as soon as you find out anything."
> 
> As the door closed, he took out his little notebook and jotted down the details. Her father, a senior level accountant with Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm and had been working for them for 20 years. Lately he had seemed distracted. He and Luna lived in a modest flat in Brooklyn and he took the train into the city. Luna worked at a bakery and was always up and gone before her father, but also arrived home several hours before him. She described him as a meticulous man. He liked routine and always came home at 6:22 each evening. Lately however, he had been getting home at all sort of odd hours, would skip dinner, not even bothering to listen to the radio. He loved his job, he loved radio mysteries, and he loved routine. She mentioned that she first started to notice something strange, when her father didn't even react to 'The Shadow' going off the air.
> 
> Henry wondered if 'The Shadow' knew what lurked in the heart of Mr. Alexander. He headed back to his tiny little house and into the basement. He checked his magic closet which had a time portal to the future, and occasionally a new and wonderful tool would show up. The Bosch router had arrived just a month or so earlier with a magazine describing all sorts of things it could do. The story of the portal was a mystery that Henry had not been able to solve, but since it hadn't sucked him into an abyss, and often gave him presents, he didn't care. Today it was empty. The glue up, from the day before, was ready for him to start the next step. He found that woodworking helped him mull over his cases.
> 
> 
> 
> The instructions, in the magazine by Woodsmith, indicated that the dimensions are rough, but Henry figured he needed the practice, so he devoted a bunch of time to precision. After cutting two pieces he realized he hadn't accounted for the kerf of his circular saw and had also made a measuring error of 2 full inches. He found it amusing that his attempts at precision had been such an abysmal failure. Henry had anticipated just such a result and had purchased plenty of extra lumber. On the upside, he had gotten much more comfortable with his circular saw. Henry was a glass half full sort of guy.
> 
> He took a few photos of the glue up and then went upstairs to call Mr. Alexander's firm. Then his foggy brain remembered that it was Saturday and also January 1, so he would have to wait until Monday. He returned to his jig and thought about Luna.


Please do a blog on the design and construction of the time portal closet. A link to the plans would be helpful as well. I've got about half of it figured out on my own - the closet half.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: Monday Morning*



Sunday had been relaxing. Henry spent the day finishing his dado jig for his router. He was starting to get comfortable using the router and was able to create a straight edge, then from that, square up the jig. He could hardly believe it when he put the square on each corner and they were all at 90 degrees. What a rush. After he finished the jig and photographed it for posterity he relaxed a bit and bought a new case journal. He jotted down a few of his thoughts.



Jan 2, 1955 A New Year…A New Case. 37th floor, Chrysler Building, Office 16…Go there in person, meet his co workers, look for clues. 8 am Monday.

Henry had called Luna, just to check if she had heard from her father, and he told her he intended to look around his office on Monday. She said that she suspected someone at the firm. Her father had been missing since Dec 24th, and Monday would be the first day the firm was open since he disappeared. Henry wondered if they knew he was missing. He would have to be coy.

The door of his office was mahogany and had his name on it. He walked in and weathered woman with a serious look was sitting behind a desk. She had a bit of a scowl on her face and was opening the morning mail. She looked up and asked, "May I help you?", in a voice that was much kinder than Henry expected. "Yes, I was wondering if I might speak with Mr. Alexander." He said, taking off his hat. He had decided he wanted to see if she knew anything.

"Mr. Alexander isn't in yet, but he should be here shortly, he is never late. Do you have an appointment?", she said, while continuing to open letters.

"No, I was hoping he might have a few minutes." Henry said, sure now that she wasn't aware that he wouldn't be coming in.

She opened another envelope and the phone rang, she answered and then said, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Wood?"

"Yes." This caught Henry off guard, but he was good enough to put on his nonchalant expression. He assumed she would elaborate. He was correct.

"Mr. Alexander apologizes for being late; you may wait in his office. He will do his best to get here as quickly as he can." She hit a button under her desk, there was a low buzzing sound and she stood up and opened the door and showed Henry inside.

The office was very nice with a large art deco desk and book shelves along both walls. There was a plant of equal height in each corner behind the desk; in fact, everything was exactly where one would expect it to be. Luna had described her father as meticulous and now that Henry saw where he worked, he understood. The desk was free of clutter, a new pad of paper by the phone. The phone was placed so that it was parallel to the edge of the desk, with the cord draped neatly over the side. Next to the pad was a group of 6 pencils, which were all lined up next to one another. They all looked to be the same length and as Henry looked closer he noticed something odd. Every pencil was rotated so that the brand name was not showing, except one. Henry looked around the office and didn't see anything out of place.

Having spent his entire Sunday fastidiously measuring and remeasuring every single cut and drill hole, he was feeling like he understood what it was like to be so precise. Though he wasn't normally a neat and organized person, he appreciated its advantages and the esthetic. He leaned forward and carefully rotated the pencil around and on the other side were six numbers. He read the numbers to himself, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He put the pencil in his pocket and pushed the other ones together. Just then he heard the buzz of the door. He quickly sat back down.

The secretary walked in and said, "Mr. Alexander just called and he apologizes but he is not going to be able to make it into the office. He said to apologize for not being able to discuss your numbers."
"Thank-you" Henry said, as he stood up to leave.

"Do you mind me asking; are you a client of the firm? I thought I knew all the clients."

Henry, quick on his feet said, "I am considering this firm. I met Mr. Alexander recently and he offered to go over my books. He said that each partner has different strengths and he would tell me who might be best for me. I won't give my business to just any firm."

This seemed to satisfy her and she smiled and held the door for Henry.



While he rode the train back home, he thought about the numbers. What did they mean? Obviously Mr. Alexander is still alive and well, but what is he up to. How did he know I would be there at 8 am? How could he have known I would find the numbers? He had gone into the city looking for answers and only found questions. Henry decided he needed to think, and he felt he needed to tidy up his workshop. Mr. Alexander's office had rubbed off on him. He could clean and think. Plus he needed to find a place of honor to store his dado routing jig.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Monday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Sunday had been relaxing. Henry spent the day finishing his dado jig for his router. He was starting to get comfortable using the router and was able to create a straight edge, then from that, square up the jig. He could hardly believe it when he put the square on each corner and they were all at 90 degrees. What a rush. After he finished the jig and photographed it for posterity he relaxed a bit and bought a new case journal. He jotted down a few of his thoughts.
> 
> 
> 
> Jan 2, 1955 A New Year…A New Case. 37th floor, Chrysler Building, Office 16…Go there in person, meet his co workers, look for clues. 8 am Monday.
> 
> Henry had called Luna, just to check if she had heard from her father, and he told her he intended to look around his office on Monday. She said that she suspected someone at the firm. Her father had been missing since Dec 24th, and Monday would be the first day the firm was open since he disappeared. Henry wondered if they knew he was missing. He would have to be coy.
> 
> The door of his office was mahogany and had his name on it. He walked in and weathered woman with a serious look was sitting behind a desk. She had a bit of a scowl on her face and was opening the morning mail. She looked up and asked, "May I help you?", in a voice that was much kinder than Henry expected. "Yes, I was wondering if I might speak with Mr. Alexander." He said, taking off his hat. He had decided he wanted to see if she knew anything.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander isn't in yet, but he should be here shortly, he is never late. Do you have an appointment?", she said, while continuing to open letters.
> 
> "No, I was hoping he might have a few minutes." Henry said, sure now that she wasn't aware that he wouldn't be coming in.
> 
> She opened another envelope and the phone rang, she answered and then said, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Wood?"
> 
> "Yes." This caught Henry off guard, but he was good enough to put on his nonchalant expression. He assumed she would elaborate. He was correct.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander apologizes for being late; you may wait in his office. He will do his best to get here as quickly as he can." She hit a button under her desk, there was a low buzzing sound and she stood up and opened the door and showed Henry inside.
> 
> The office was very nice with a large art deco desk and book shelves along both walls. There was a plant of equal height in each corner behind the desk; in fact, everything was exactly where one would expect it to be. Luna had described her father as meticulous and now that Henry saw where he worked, he understood. The desk was free of clutter, a new pad of paper by the phone. The phone was placed so that it was parallel to the edge of the desk, with the cord draped neatly over the side. Next to the pad was a group of 6 pencils, which were all lined up next to one another. They all looked to be the same length and as Henry looked closer he noticed something odd. Every pencil was rotated so that the brand name was not showing, except one. Henry looked around the office and didn't see anything out of place.
> 
> Having spent his entire Sunday fastidiously measuring and remeasuring every single cut and drill hole, he was feeling like he understood what it was like to be so precise. Though he wasn't normally a neat and organized person, he appreciated its advantages and the esthetic. He leaned forward and carefully rotated the pencil around and on the other side were six numbers. He read the numbers to himself, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He put the pencil in his pocket and pushed the other ones together. Just then he heard the buzz of the door. He quickly sat back down.
> 
> The secretary walked in and said, "Mr. Alexander just called and he apologizes but he is not going to be able to make it into the office. He said to apologize for not being able to discuss your numbers."
> "Thank-you" Henry said, as he stood up to leave.
> 
> "Do you mind me asking; are you a client of the firm? I thought I knew all the clients."
> 
> Henry, quick on his feet said, "I am considering this firm. I met Mr. Alexander recently and he offered to go over my books. He said that each partner has different strengths and he would tell me who might be best for me. I won't give my business to just any firm."
> 
> This seemed to satisfy her and she smiled and held the door for Henry.
> 
> 
> 
> While he rode the train back home, he thought about the numbers. What did they mean? Obviously Mr. Alexander is still alive and well, but what is he up to. How did he know I would be there at 8 am? How could he have known I would find the numbers? He had gone into the city looking for answers and only found questions. Henry decided he needed to think, and he felt he needed to tidy up his workshop. Mr. Alexander's office had rubbed off on him. He could clean and think. Plus he needed to find a place of honor to store his dado routing jig.


maybe henry needs to build a shelf ,
to keep all of his tools and jigs ?

like before candide comes along to optimize ?


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Monday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Sunday had been relaxing. Henry spent the day finishing his dado jig for his router. He was starting to get comfortable using the router and was able to create a straight edge, then from that, square up the jig. He could hardly believe it when he put the square on each corner and they were all at 90 degrees. What a rush. After he finished the jig and photographed it for posterity he relaxed a bit and bought a new case journal. He jotted down a few of his thoughts.
> 
> 
> 
> Jan 2, 1955 A New Year…A New Case. 37th floor, Chrysler Building, Office 16…Go there in person, meet his co workers, look for clues. 8 am Monday.
> 
> Henry had called Luna, just to check if she had heard from her father, and he told her he intended to look around his office on Monday. She said that she suspected someone at the firm. Her father had been missing since Dec 24th, and Monday would be the first day the firm was open since he disappeared. Henry wondered if they knew he was missing. He would have to be coy.
> 
> The door of his office was mahogany and had his name on it. He walked in and weathered woman with a serious look was sitting behind a desk. She had a bit of a scowl on her face and was opening the morning mail. She looked up and asked, "May I help you?", in a voice that was much kinder than Henry expected. "Yes, I was wondering if I might speak with Mr. Alexander." He said, taking off his hat. He had decided he wanted to see if she knew anything.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander isn't in yet, but he should be here shortly, he is never late. Do you have an appointment?", she said, while continuing to open letters.
> 
> "No, I was hoping he might have a few minutes." Henry said, sure now that she wasn't aware that he wouldn't be coming in.
> 
> She opened another envelope and the phone rang, she answered and then said, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Wood?"
> 
> "Yes." This caught Henry off guard, but he was good enough to put on his nonchalant expression. He assumed she would elaborate. He was correct.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander apologizes for being late; you may wait in his office. He will do his best to get here as quickly as he can." She hit a button under her desk, there was a low buzzing sound and she stood up and opened the door and showed Henry inside.
> 
> The office was very nice with a large art deco desk and book shelves along both walls. There was a plant of equal height in each corner behind the desk; in fact, everything was exactly where one would expect it to be. Luna had described her father as meticulous and now that Henry saw where he worked, he understood. The desk was free of clutter, a new pad of paper by the phone. The phone was placed so that it was parallel to the edge of the desk, with the cord draped neatly over the side. Next to the pad was a group of 6 pencils, which were all lined up next to one another. They all looked to be the same length and as Henry looked closer he noticed something odd. Every pencil was rotated so that the brand name was not showing, except one. Henry looked around the office and didn't see anything out of place.
> 
> Having spent his entire Sunday fastidiously measuring and remeasuring every single cut and drill hole, he was feeling like he understood what it was like to be so precise. Though he wasn't normally a neat and organized person, he appreciated its advantages and the esthetic. He leaned forward and carefully rotated the pencil around and on the other side were six numbers. He read the numbers to himself, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He put the pencil in his pocket and pushed the other ones together. Just then he heard the buzz of the door. He quickly sat back down.
> 
> The secretary walked in and said, "Mr. Alexander just called and he apologizes but he is not going to be able to make it into the office. He said to apologize for not being able to discuss your numbers."
> "Thank-you" Henry said, as he stood up to leave.
> 
> "Do you mind me asking; are you a client of the firm? I thought I knew all the clients."
> 
> Henry, quick on his feet said, "I am considering this firm. I met Mr. Alexander recently and he offered to go over my books. He said that each partner has different strengths and he would tell me who might be best for me. I won't give my business to just any firm."
> 
> This seemed to satisfy her and she smiled and held the door for Henry.
> 
> 
> 
> While he rode the train back home, he thought about the numbers. What did they mean? Obviously Mr. Alexander is still alive and well, but what is he up to. How did he know I would be there at 8 am? How could he have known I would find the numbers? He had gone into the city looking for answers and only found questions. Henry decided he needed to think, and he felt he needed to tidy up his workshop. Mr. Alexander's office had rubbed off on him. He could clean and think. Plus he needed to find a place of honor to store his dado routing jig.


The jig is nicely done, and I appreciate the black and white photography in keeping with the general era of the story and the film noir genre.

I am surprised, however, at the mention of a mahogany (solid, I presume) door to Mr. Alexander's office. I was under the impression that the mahogany doors of that era were primarily used on the exterior of buildings. Perhaps it just reflected his sense of style and substance.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Monday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Sunday had been relaxing. Henry spent the day finishing his dado jig for his router. He was starting to get comfortable using the router and was able to create a straight edge, then from that, square up the jig. He could hardly believe it when he put the square on each corner and they were all at 90 degrees. What a rush. After he finished the jig and photographed it for posterity he relaxed a bit and bought a new case journal. He jotted down a few of his thoughts.
> 
> 
> 
> Jan 2, 1955 A New Year…A New Case. 37th floor, Chrysler Building, Office 16…Go there in person, meet his co workers, look for clues. 8 am Monday.
> 
> Henry had called Luna, just to check if she had heard from her father, and he told her he intended to look around his office on Monday. She said that she suspected someone at the firm. Her father had been missing since Dec 24th, and Monday would be the first day the firm was open since he disappeared. Henry wondered if they knew he was missing. He would have to be coy.
> 
> The door of his office was mahogany and had his name on it. He walked in and weathered woman with a serious look was sitting behind a desk. She had a bit of a scowl on her face and was opening the morning mail. She looked up and asked, "May I help you?", in a voice that was much kinder than Henry expected. "Yes, I was wondering if I might speak with Mr. Alexander." He said, taking off his hat. He had decided he wanted to see if she knew anything.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander isn't in yet, but he should be here shortly, he is never late. Do you have an appointment?", she said, while continuing to open letters.
> 
> "No, I was hoping he might have a few minutes." Henry said, sure now that she wasn't aware that he wouldn't be coming in.
> 
> She opened another envelope and the phone rang, she answered and then said, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Wood?"
> 
> "Yes." This caught Henry off guard, but he was good enough to put on his nonchalant expression. He assumed she would elaborate. He was correct.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander apologizes for being late; you may wait in his office. He will do his best to get here as quickly as he can." She hit a button under her desk, there was a low buzzing sound and she stood up and opened the door and showed Henry inside.
> 
> The office was very nice with a large art deco desk and book shelves along both walls. There was a plant of equal height in each corner behind the desk; in fact, everything was exactly where one would expect it to be. Luna had described her father as meticulous and now that Henry saw where he worked, he understood. The desk was free of clutter, a new pad of paper by the phone. The phone was placed so that it was parallel to the edge of the desk, with the cord draped neatly over the side. Next to the pad was a group of 6 pencils, which were all lined up next to one another. They all looked to be the same length and as Henry looked closer he noticed something odd. Every pencil was rotated so that the brand name was not showing, except one. Henry looked around the office and didn't see anything out of place.
> 
> Having spent his entire Sunday fastidiously measuring and remeasuring every single cut and drill hole, he was feeling like he understood what it was like to be so precise. Though he wasn't normally a neat and organized person, he appreciated its advantages and the esthetic. He leaned forward and carefully rotated the pencil around and on the other side were six numbers. He read the numbers to himself, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He put the pencil in his pocket and pushed the other ones together. Just then he heard the buzz of the door. He quickly sat back down.
> 
> The secretary walked in and said, "Mr. Alexander just called and he apologizes but he is not going to be able to make it into the office. He said to apologize for not being able to discuss your numbers."
> "Thank-you" Henry said, as he stood up to leave.
> 
> "Do you mind me asking; are you a client of the firm? I thought I knew all the clients."
> 
> Henry, quick on his feet said, "I am considering this firm. I met Mr. Alexander recently and he offered to go over my books. He said that each partner has different strengths and he would tell me who might be best for me. I won't give my business to just any firm."
> 
> This seemed to satisfy her and she smiled and held the door for Henry.
> 
> 
> 
> While he rode the train back home, he thought about the numbers. What did they mean? Obviously Mr. Alexander is still alive and well, but what is he up to. How did he know I would be there at 8 am? How could he have known I would find the numbers? He had gone into the city looking for answers and only found questions. Henry decided he needed to think, and he felt he needed to tidy up his workshop. Mr. Alexander's office had rubbed off on him. He could clean and think. Plus he needed to find a place of honor to store his dado routing jig.


Hmm…I should have researched the door better. I really just guessed on the door. I got started on the writing of the blog a bit later than usual tonight, as I was busy trying to finish the jig. I really wanted to get it completed. Normally I would have spent more time on the details. I have let you down. I will do better in the next installment of Henry Wood.

Note: I may do a blog or two between episode 2 and 3, just to mix things up.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Monday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Sunday had been relaxing. Henry spent the day finishing his dado jig for his router. He was starting to get comfortable using the router and was able to create a straight edge, then from that, square up the jig. He could hardly believe it when he put the square on each corner and they were all at 90 degrees. What a rush. After he finished the jig and photographed it for posterity he relaxed a bit and bought a new case journal. He jotted down a few of his thoughts.
> 
> 
> 
> Jan 2, 1955 A New Year…A New Case. 37th floor, Chrysler Building, Office 16…Go there in person, meet his co workers, look for clues. 8 am Monday.
> 
> Henry had called Luna, just to check if she had heard from her father, and he told her he intended to look around his office on Monday. She said that she suspected someone at the firm. Her father had been missing since Dec 24th, and Monday would be the first day the firm was open since he disappeared. Henry wondered if they knew he was missing. He would have to be coy.
> 
> The door of his office was mahogany and had his name on it. He walked in and weathered woman with a serious look was sitting behind a desk. She had a bit of a scowl on her face and was opening the morning mail. She looked up and asked, "May I help you?", in a voice that was much kinder than Henry expected. "Yes, I was wondering if I might speak with Mr. Alexander." He said, taking off his hat. He had decided he wanted to see if she knew anything.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander isn't in yet, but he should be here shortly, he is never late. Do you have an appointment?", she said, while continuing to open letters.
> 
> "No, I was hoping he might have a few minutes." Henry said, sure now that she wasn't aware that he wouldn't be coming in.
> 
> She opened another envelope and the phone rang, she answered and then said, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Wood?"
> 
> "Yes." This caught Henry off guard, but he was good enough to put on his nonchalant expression. He assumed she would elaborate. He was correct.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander apologizes for being late; you may wait in his office. He will do his best to get here as quickly as he can." She hit a button under her desk, there was a low buzzing sound and she stood up and opened the door and showed Henry inside.
> 
> The office was very nice with a large art deco desk and book shelves along both walls. There was a plant of equal height in each corner behind the desk; in fact, everything was exactly where one would expect it to be. Luna had described her father as meticulous and now that Henry saw where he worked, he understood. The desk was free of clutter, a new pad of paper by the phone. The phone was placed so that it was parallel to the edge of the desk, with the cord draped neatly over the side. Next to the pad was a group of 6 pencils, which were all lined up next to one another. They all looked to be the same length and as Henry looked closer he noticed something odd. Every pencil was rotated so that the brand name was not showing, except one. Henry looked around the office and didn't see anything out of place.
> 
> Having spent his entire Sunday fastidiously measuring and remeasuring every single cut and drill hole, he was feeling like he understood what it was like to be so precise. Though he wasn't normally a neat and organized person, he appreciated its advantages and the esthetic. He leaned forward and carefully rotated the pencil around and on the other side were six numbers. He read the numbers to himself, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He put the pencil in his pocket and pushed the other ones together. Just then he heard the buzz of the door. He quickly sat back down.
> 
> The secretary walked in and said, "Mr. Alexander just called and he apologizes but he is not going to be able to make it into the office. He said to apologize for not being able to discuss your numbers."
> "Thank-you" Henry said, as he stood up to leave.
> 
> "Do you mind me asking; are you a client of the firm? I thought I knew all the clients."
> 
> Henry, quick on his feet said, "I am considering this firm. I met Mr. Alexander recently and he offered to go over my books. He said that each partner has different strengths and he would tell me who might be best for me. I won't give my business to just any firm."
> 
> This seemed to satisfy her and she smiled and held the door for Henry.
> 
> 
> 
> While he rode the train back home, he thought about the numbers. What did they mean? Obviously Mr. Alexander is still alive and well, but what is he up to. How did he know I would be there at 8 am? How could he have known I would find the numbers? He had gone into the city looking for answers and only found questions. Henry decided he needed to think, and he felt he needed to tidy up his workshop. Mr. Alexander's office had rubbed off on him. He could clean and think. Plus he needed to find a place of honor to store his dado routing jig.


lol … you are hilarious!


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Monday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Sunday had been relaxing. Henry spent the day finishing his dado jig for his router. He was starting to get comfortable using the router and was able to create a straight edge, then from that, square up the jig. He could hardly believe it when he put the square on each corner and they were all at 90 degrees. What a rush. After he finished the jig and photographed it for posterity he relaxed a bit and bought a new case journal. He jotted down a few of his thoughts.
> 
> 
> 
> Jan 2, 1955 A New Year…A New Case. 37th floor, Chrysler Building, Office 16…Go there in person, meet his co workers, look for clues. 8 am Monday.
> 
> Henry had called Luna, just to check if she had heard from her father, and he told her he intended to look around his office on Monday. She said that she suspected someone at the firm. Her father had been missing since Dec 24th, and Monday would be the first day the firm was open since he disappeared. Henry wondered if they knew he was missing. He would have to be coy.
> 
> The door of his office was mahogany and had his name on it. He walked in and weathered woman with a serious look was sitting behind a desk. She had a bit of a scowl on her face and was opening the morning mail. She looked up and asked, "May I help you?", in a voice that was much kinder than Henry expected. "Yes, I was wondering if I might speak with Mr. Alexander." He said, taking off his hat. He had decided he wanted to see if she knew anything.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander isn't in yet, but he should be here shortly, he is never late. Do you have an appointment?", she said, while continuing to open letters.
> 
> "No, I was hoping he might have a few minutes." Henry said, sure now that she wasn't aware that he wouldn't be coming in.
> 
> She opened another envelope and the phone rang, she answered and then said, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Wood?"
> 
> "Yes." This caught Henry off guard, but he was good enough to put on his nonchalant expression. He assumed she would elaborate. He was correct.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander apologizes for being late; you may wait in his office. He will do his best to get here as quickly as he can." She hit a button under her desk, there was a low buzzing sound and she stood up and opened the door and showed Henry inside.
> 
> The office was very nice with a large art deco desk and book shelves along both walls. There was a plant of equal height in each corner behind the desk; in fact, everything was exactly where one would expect it to be. Luna had described her father as meticulous and now that Henry saw where he worked, he understood. The desk was free of clutter, a new pad of paper by the phone. The phone was placed so that it was parallel to the edge of the desk, with the cord draped neatly over the side. Next to the pad was a group of 6 pencils, which were all lined up next to one another. They all looked to be the same length and as Henry looked closer he noticed something odd. Every pencil was rotated so that the brand name was not showing, except one. Henry looked around the office and didn't see anything out of place.
> 
> Having spent his entire Sunday fastidiously measuring and remeasuring every single cut and drill hole, he was feeling like he understood what it was like to be so precise. Though he wasn't normally a neat and organized person, he appreciated its advantages and the esthetic. He leaned forward and carefully rotated the pencil around and on the other side were six numbers. He read the numbers to himself, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He put the pencil in his pocket and pushed the other ones together. Just then he heard the buzz of the door. He quickly sat back down.
> 
> The secretary walked in and said, "Mr. Alexander just called and he apologizes but he is not going to be able to make it into the office. He said to apologize for not being able to discuss your numbers."
> "Thank-you" Henry said, as he stood up to leave.
> 
> "Do you mind me asking; are you a client of the firm? I thought I knew all the clients."
> 
> Henry, quick on his feet said, "I am considering this firm. I met Mr. Alexander recently and he offered to go over my books. He said that each partner has different strengths and he would tell me who might be best for me. I won't give my business to just any firm."
> 
> This seemed to satisfy her and she smiled and held the door for Henry.
> 
> 
> 
> While he rode the train back home, he thought about the numbers. What did they mean? Obviously Mr. Alexander is still alive and well, but what is he up to. How did he know I would be there at 8 am? How could he have known I would find the numbers? He had gone into the city looking for answers and only found questions. Henry decided he needed to think, and he felt he needed to tidy up his workshop. Mr. Alexander's office had rubbed off on him. He could clean and think. Plus he needed to find a place of honor to store his dado routing jig.


Interesting, a numerology segment. I hope Henry is not going to be keeping a notebook on the number 23 and slowly drive himself crazy as he thinks of everything that is associated with that number.

Good thing he is constructing some nice jigs while mulling over the case.

David


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Monday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Sunday had been relaxing. Henry spent the day finishing his dado jig for his router. He was starting to get comfortable using the router and was able to create a straight edge, then from that, square up the jig. He could hardly believe it when he put the square on each corner and they were all at 90 degrees. What a rush. After he finished the jig and photographed it for posterity he relaxed a bit and bought a new case journal. He jotted down a few of his thoughts.
> 
> 
> 
> Jan 2, 1955 A New Year…A New Case. 37th floor, Chrysler Building, Office 16…Go there in person, meet his co workers, look for clues. 8 am Monday.
> 
> Henry had called Luna, just to check if she had heard from her father, and he told her he intended to look around his office on Monday. She said that she suspected someone at the firm. Her father had been missing since Dec 24th, and Monday would be the first day the firm was open since he disappeared. Henry wondered if they knew he was missing. He would have to be coy.
> 
> The door of his office was mahogany and had his name on it. He walked in and weathered woman with a serious look was sitting behind a desk. She had a bit of a scowl on her face and was opening the morning mail. She looked up and asked, "May I help you?", in a voice that was much kinder than Henry expected. "Yes, I was wondering if I might speak with Mr. Alexander." He said, taking off his hat. He had decided he wanted to see if she knew anything.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander isn't in yet, but he should be here shortly, he is never late. Do you have an appointment?", she said, while continuing to open letters.
> 
> "No, I was hoping he might have a few minutes." Henry said, sure now that she wasn't aware that he wouldn't be coming in.
> 
> She opened another envelope and the phone rang, she answered and then said, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Wood?"
> 
> "Yes." This caught Henry off guard, but he was good enough to put on his nonchalant expression. He assumed she would elaborate. He was correct.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander apologizes for being late; you may wait in his office. He will do his best to get here as quickly as he can." She hit a button under her desk, there was a low buzzing sound and she stood up and opened the door and showed Henry inside.
> 
> The office was very nice with a large art deco desk and book shelves along both walls. There was a plant of equal height in each corner behind the desk; in fact, everything was exactly where one would expect it to be. Luna had described her father as meticulous and now that Henry saw where he worked, he understood. The desk was free of clutter, a new pad of paper by the phone. The phone was placed so that it was parallel to the edge of the desk, with the cord draped neatly over the side. Next to the pad was a group of 6 pencils, which were all lined up next to one another. They all looked to be the same length and as Henry looked closer he noticed something odd. Every pencil was rotated so that the brand name was not showing, except one. Henry looked around the office and didn't see anything out of place.
> 
> Having spent his entire Sunday fastidiously measuring and remeasuring every single cut and drill hole, he was feeling like he understood what it was like to be so precise. Though he wasn't normally a neat and organized person, he appreciated its advantages and the esthetic. He leaned forward and carefully rotated the pencil around and on the other side were six numbers. He read the numbers to himself, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He put the pencil in his pocket and pushed the other ones together. Just then he heard the buzz of the door. He quickly sat back down.
> 
> The secretary walked in and said, "Mr. Alexander just called and he apologizes but he is not going to be able to make it into the office. He said to apologize for not being able to discuss your numbers."
> "Thank-you" Henry said, as he stood up to leave.
> 
> "Do you mind me asking; are you a client of the firm? I thought I knew all the clients."
> 
> Henry, quick on his feet said, "I am considering this firm. I met Mr. Alexander recently and he offered to go over my books. He said that each partner has different strengths and he would tell me who might be best for me. I won't give my business to just any firm."
> 
> This seemed to satisfy her and she smiled and held the door for Henry.
> 
> 
> 
> While he rode the train back home, he thought about the numbers. What did they mean? Obviously Mr. Alexander is still alive and well, but what is he up to. How did he know I would be there at 8 am? How could he have known I would find the numbers? He had gone into the city looking for answers and only found questions. Henry decided he needed to think, and he felt he needed to tidy up his workshop. Mr. Alexander's office had rubbed off on him. He could clean and think. Plus he needed to find a place of honor to store his dado routing jig.


I know I should be concentrating on the case Brian and hoping to give Henry a leg up, but all I can think about is the new router I bought today and thinking what such a wonderful machine could do in the hands of a real woodworker. I am wondering about those numbers though, but all they just make me think of woodworking and missing digits. I'm afraid Henry will have to do this on his own. Thanks for keeping us updated.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Monday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Sunday had been relaxing. Henry spent the day finishing his dado jig for his router. He was starting to get comfortable using the router and was able to create a straight edge, then from that, square up the jig. He could hardly believe it when he put the square on each corner and they were all at 90 degrees. What a rush. After he finished the jig and photographed it for posterity he relaxed a bit and bought a new case journal. He jotted down a few of his thoughts.
> 
> 
> 
> Jan 2, 1955 A New Year…A New Case. 37th floor, Chrysler Building, Office 16…Go there in person, meet his co workers, look for clues. 8 am Monday.
> 
> Henry had called Luna, just to check if she had heard from her father, and he told her he intended to look around his office on Monday. She said that she suspected someone at the firm. Her father had been missing since Dec 24th, and Monday would be the first day the firm was open since he disappeared. Henry wondered if they knew he was missing. He would have to be coy.
> 
> The door of his office was mahogany and had his name on it. He walked in and weathered woman with a serious look was sitting behind a desk. She had a bit of a scowl on her face and was opening the morning mail. She looked up and asked, "May I help you?", in a voice that was much kinder than Henry expected. "Yes, I was wondering if I might speak with Mr. Alexander." He said, taking off his hat. He had decided he wanted to see if she knew anything.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander isn't in yet, but he should be here shortly, he is never late. Do you have an appointment?", she said, while continuing to open letters.
> 
> "No, I was hoping he might have a few minutes." Henry said, sure now that she wasn't aware that he wouldn't be coming in.
> 
> She opened another envelope and the phone rang, she answered and then said, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Wood?"
> 
> "Yes." This caught Henry off guard, but he was good enough to put on his nonchalant expression. He assumed she would elaborate. He was correct.
> 
> "Mr. Alexander apologizes for being late; you may wait in his office. He will do his best to get here as quickly as he can." She hit a button under her desk, there was a low buzzing sound and she stood up and opened the door and showed Henry inside.
> 
> The office was very nice with a large art deco desk and book shelves along both walls. There was a plant of equal height in each corner behind the desk; in fact, everything was exactly where one would expect it to be. Luna had described her father as meticulous and now that Henry saw where he worked, he understood. The desk was free of clutter, a new pad of paper by the phone. The phone was placed so that it was parallel to the edge of the desk, with the cord draped neatly over the side. Next to the pad was a group of 6 pencils, which were all lined up next to one another. They all looked to be the same length and as Henry looked closer he noticed something odd. Every pencil was rotated so that the brand name was not showing, except one. Henry looked around the office and didn't see anything out of place.
> 
> Having spent his entire Sunday fastidiously measuring and remeasuring every single cut and drill hole, he was feeling like he understood what it was like to be so precise. Though he wasn't normally a neat and organized person, he appreciated its advantages and the esthetic. He leaned forward and carefully rotated the pencil around and on the other side were six numbers. He read the numbers to himself, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He put the pencil in his pocket and pushed the other ones together. Just then he heard the buzz of the door. He quickly sat back down.
> 
> The secretary walked in and said, "Mr. Alexander just called and he apologizes but he is not going to be able to make it into the office. He said to apologize for not being able to discuss your numbers."
> "Thank-you" Henry said, as he stood up to leave.
> 
> "Do you mind me asking; are you a client of the firm? I thought I knew all the clients."
> 
> Henry, quick on his feet said, "I am considering this firm. I met Mr. Alexander recently and he offered to go over my books. He said that each partner has different strengths and he would tell me who might be best for me. I won't give my business to just any firm."
> 
> This seemed to satisfy her and she smiled and held the door for Henry.
> 
> 
> 
> While he rode the train back home, he thought about the numbers. What did they mean? Obviously Mr. Alexander is still alive and well, but what is he up to. How did he know I would be there at 8 am? How could he have known I would find the numbers? He had gone into the city looking for answers and only found questions. Henry decided he needed to think, and he felt he needed to tidy up his workshop. Mr. Alexander's office had rubbed off on him. He could clean and think. Plus he needed to find a place of honor to store his dado routing jig.


Thank´s for the continue of the story
your jig look great in black/white

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*



A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."

Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
He was, "What was the message?"

"Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.

"Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"

"I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.

Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.

He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.

The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."

"Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."

"So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."

"He isn't so bad you know."

An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."

"So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.

"Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.

"You threatening me Mike?"

"Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.

"Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.

"I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."

"Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.

Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.

Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


Can you imagine having a name like Tage Frid?
That would be so cool.

He is a hero of mine too.
Steve


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


*;-)*


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


What?! No pictures? I had to read ALL the words!


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


No fears Steve, I am pretty sure the graphic novel will be coming out soon


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


Sras,

Since tonight's episode revolved around the Tage Frid video, I didn't take a picture of the actual DVD. Being a stock photographer I am sensitive to copyright issues. I will do better next tomorrow.

Brian


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


I have just one word.
Fibonacci

d


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


Don,

Excellent guess, but alas a Fibonacci doesn't contain a 7.

Brian


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


OK, but they're all prime numbers!

d


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


Yes they are!


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


The only thing I'm now wondering is why the numbers 11,13,17 and 19 were skipped!

d


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


Why indeed.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


A real mystery.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Good Review*
> 
> 
> 
> A rotund man sits at a typewriter, his sausage fingers dance over the old Underwood, and he puts down his thoughts, his gospel if you will. He is revered or feared by all, there isn't any middle ground. He is the restaurant critic for the Brooklyn Daily News. If he likes a new restaurant then it will rocket up the charts quicker than a Wall Street broker chasing his secretary. If he unsheathes his poison pen then the restaurant owners will be spending their days in the serving line of the local soup kitchen. The clicking of key strikes is like a symphony to Francis Le Mangez. Today he is happy and full. "The soup was a delight and made me want to weep with joy. The Singe Café's, famous, monkey flambé, in a white wine sauce, tasted as if it had been prepared by angels and I savored each bite. If you go out for monkey only once this year, make it the 'Singe Café'."
> 
> Francis had an office across from Henry. Henry liked Francis and they would occasionally discuss food, politics and baseball, while throwing back highballs at the bar on the corner. Francis was a food snob, but he could also appreciate a greasy burger and a beer. As Henry put the key in his office door, Francis popped his head out, and said, "Your cop friend was here looking for you. I took a message."
> He was, "What was the message?"
> 
> "Tell Henry to call me as soon as he gets back." said Francis, as he handed the tiny piece of paper to Henry, with a pretentious scowl. Francis and Mike McDermott didn't get along.
> 
> "Thanks", said Henry, "Eat anything good lately?"
> 
> "I had a wonderful dinner at The Singe Café on 17th street last night. I am writing it up now." He said, and whirled around and disappeared into his office.
> 
> Henry walked into the Wood Detective agency and put his hat on the hook by the door. He took off his overcoat and hung it next to the hat. He sat behind his desk, put his feet up and looked at the pencil. The numbers, so neatly written, were a message. He felt it was a message specifically to him, but he didn't know what it was, or what he was supposed to do.
> 
> He picked up the phone and called Mike. Mike McDermott had been in law enforcement for as long as Henry could remember. He solved more cases than anyone in the 5 boroughs, by using his razor sharp analytical mind, and sometimes a massive right hook. Mike loved chess and music. He had every recording of Enrico Caurso. He also enjoyed gardening and had an encyclopedic knowledge of root vegetables. When he was young, his nickname was 'Yam'. He was called 'yam' until a couple of fights and a growth spurt between his 9th and 10th grade years. After that he was called 'Big Mike'. Henry just called him Mike. Mike McDermott didn't have any use for private dicks, but he liked Henry.
> 
> The phone rang once and the voice on the other end bellowed, "Mike here…go."
> 
> "Mike, Henry here, I heard you were looking for me."
> 
> "So Frenchy gave you my message. I am surprised."
> 
> "He isn't so bad you know."
> 
> An audible grunt came over the line and Mike continued, "Word on the street is that you are poking around Smith, Havershome and Blickstein Law firm."
> 
> "So what if I am?" Henry played it cool. He didn't want to tip his hand. He actually didn't even know what cards he was holding, but he figured if Big Mike had gotten wind, then something must be up.
> 
> "Listen Wood, This is serious business you are sticking your nose into. If you know anything, you best come clean, before you get hurt." Mike said with an intimidating tone.
> 
> "You threatening me Mike?"
> 
> "Not me, but there are some dangerous people involved. I am trying to look after you." He replied with a friendlier tone.
> 
> "Dangerous people eh?" Henry said, trying to sound confident and hoping Mike would give him a clue as to what was going on. Henry needed a clue.
> 
> "I'm talking about the mob. The word is that some accountant has gone missing and they are anxious to find him. He knows things, things that could make a lot of people really unhappy."
> 
> "Thanks for the heads up. I will try to keep my head down." Henry said, and hung up the phone.
> 
> Henry was unsure of his next move and decided to head home. When he checked his magic closet he found that there was another gift from the future. A plastic case with a silver disk in it and a thing called a DVD player with a tiny screen that looked sort of like a television. The DVD was entitled simply, "Tage Frid", and it appeared it had come from 1997, as that was the copyright date on the back. Henry was delighted with his gift from the mysterious closet and when the screen came to life he marveled at the picture. It was in color.
> Tage Frid came from Denmark in 1948, "after a couple of thousand students, I learned a few things" came from the tiny speakers, and after 75 minutes he had witnessed the charming old man teach him how he cuts dovetails, fixes a mistake, builds a drawer for a perfect fit, glues up pieces and his thought process in design. Tage Frid puts to use a jig he built 30 years ago. Henry quite liked the Danish woodworker's style. He thought about the DVD and that it was made 40 years in the future, about a man who was old, but today, in 1955, Tage Frid is a young man, who just arrived in the US a few years ago. Henry watched the DVD twice and marveled at the beauty of his furniture. He hoped that the closet would send him more of these DVDs, as they were very entertaining. He wished he could show someone his new toy, but he never told anyone about the time portal in his closet, for he feared that if he did, it just might disappear.
> 
> Henry wondered what Francis would say, what sort of review he would give this Tage Frid show. Henry knew that his recommendation would be 5 stars. He carefully put the DVD back in its case and put it and the player in a drawer under a blanket. He went to bed, thinking about Tage Frid furniture, and thinking about the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23.


I´m with Sras 
you better be diging aut some carving-chisels and carve a great woodenpicture for the next one
ceep them coming still enjoy them

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Thanks Everyone*



Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.

Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.



I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.

So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.

Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)

1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.

2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.

3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.

I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.

Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.



Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


Man, you had me worried there for a minute … the first part was reading like a blog obituary.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


Oh noooo…that wasn't the intent. I just needed to take an night off from Henry Wood, as I didn't want to get predictable.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


BTW, thanks for mentioning The Village Carpenter. I had overlooked that blog, and it looks pretty good.


----------



## THEGREATPUMPKIN

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


Brian , Allow me to say you're anything BUT predictable. Good job as usual. JIM


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


My dogs also read your blog - and they keep asking why you give so much mention to cats. However, they were thrilled that one time (at least) you mentioned that dogs are wonderful.

Validation is very good. Recognizing it when it happens is even better!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


I have really done a terrible injustice to dogs, and I will do my best to make it up to them. I have a flying dog photo they might enjoy.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


LOL. OK, I was fibbing. Only one of them can actually read. But he passes it on to her.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


It is all about team work. To both you dogs, "Woof Woof, Bark, Howl and Woof", though they have probably already heard that one before.


----------



## RichClark

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


Hopefully your back swing was done.. If not I think your going to pull it to the left..


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


That is my Dad's back swing. And no, he hit it right down the middle. Had it been my backswing, you would have been 100% correct.


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


Meow! - oh no. hurry up and post this thing - I see our human coming this way. Put your damn paw on the mouse and post it!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


LOL!!! Well done ChuckV's cats


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


Our cats outnumber our dogs 4 to1 and they don't expect to take second place ( note we have 6 dogs).


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


hehe, that is a wonderful picture…OK Everybody…this post is now the Show us YOUR Pet blog!!!


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


rtb - Let's see, if I am doing the math right…no - that can't be right


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


It seems to me that there are 24 cats and 6 dogs, which means that RTB owes us 29 more pet photos.


----------



## Fireball

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


Brian - nicely done. 21000 reads is pretty incredible! Keep it up - I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

And I second the woodwhisperer recommendation. Great website, great videos, cool dude.


----------



## Broda

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


How many dogs can you see in this picture. I'll post the answer tomorrow.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


Glad to hear you are continuing with the blogs Brian. Who knows where this will take you/us?


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Thanks Everyone*
> 
> 
> 
> Historically it could be said that I have been known to jump into a new interest elbows first. Obviously feet first is the conventional method, but I figure people expect that, so I lead with my elbow and on occasion my clavicle. Yes I have jumped into woodworking clavicle first. I had no idea that when I splashed in neck deep into this new hobby that I would find the joy of blogging too. I really only intended to write that first post.
> External validation is a powerful aphrodisiac. Everyone has been so friendly, which isn't surprising to me, as I am a firm believer that most people are pretty decent. What I didn't expect is that there were so many other people sharing their experiences with the world. There are lots and lots of blogs.
> 
> Today is my one month anniversary as a blogopotamus. I thought that I might share, with those who have been so kind to endure my daily streams of ridiculousness, some of my numbers. Frankly they are so shocking to me, that I find it hard to believe. I feel like I have hoisted up the basketball of blogging and swished it from center court.
> 
> 
> 
> I have scribbled out thirty one consecutive posts and considering that my original goal was to have a streak of one, I count this as a success. I am a big fan of setting the bar low. I was great at the high jump, while the bar was still lying on the ground, of course I later carved a small trough in the field for the pole, just to be sure, but I digress. In one month, the combined number of reads between Lumberjocks and my blog has been around 21,000, with 10085 of the reads being the fine folks who hang out at Lumberjocks, and at least one of their wives, who, on occasion, will pretend to be her husband and once posed as her husband's cat. I am not sure if the cat is a reader or not, but I would like to think he checks the blog out when nobody is looking.
> 
> So yes, there has been easily 2000 pounds of external validation. Strange as it may seem that has not been the best part. The best part has been using all the little tips and tricks I have gotten from comments, articles and other blogs. My confidence level is so much higher than it was when the year began. My circular saw and router are less scary. I still respect them and always call them Sir, lest they become angry and try to get me. But it seems we have an understanding, if I treat them well, clean them off after every use, and give them a cookie, they will perform marvelously.
> 
> Now before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back for the numbers, I should let everyone know about the wonderful blogs I have uncovered. You may already know these, but if you don't, then go check them out. It will be time well spent. (All the links are on my Blog Roll, so please check them out.)
> 
> 1) 'The Village Carpenter' and is written by Kari Hultman. She is such a good writer, photographer, and a spectacular woodworker. She left a comment on one of my blogs and I was giddy for hours.
> 
> 2) This is a fantastic blog, which I am sure you have all found, but just in case, it is called 'The Wood Whisperer' and is much better than the blog the 'The Tree Shouter at the top of His Lungs.' Ok, I made up that second blog. But the point is that his blog is a one stop shop for wood smarts.
> 
> 3) 'The Unplugged Woodshop' wins the award for best site design. The writing is fantastic too, the projects fill one with inspiration, and the photography is magazine quality.
> 
> I have also made some friends on Twitter, who like woodworking. My Twitter handle is ExtremelyAvg and I have had the pleasure of meeting 85 people who are mostly fans of woodworking. If you haven't tried using Twitter for woodworking knowledge you have missed out. The tweets are chuck full of links to stuff that I wouldn't have found.
> 
> Some of my Twitter friends, who I would recommend following are: ScottAtMirus, AdamKingStudio, eXapath, iwoodknot, Torch02 Most have blogs too and are worth checking out.
> So in conclusion, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has commented and encouraged me, and to those who have taken the time to blog from their knowledge base, and share it with the world.
> 
> 
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue with the adventures of Henry Wood. And after that I will write ever day, unless an emergency golf outing is declared, in that case, Dad and I will be on the tee. I am really ready for spring, the novelty of snow and cold has worn off. Thanks again.


Brian, I should point out that most of these animals are rescues and 16 of the cats are"foster" they also are badly inbred and tend to look a lot alike. There story is not for these pages. (pm me a phone # and aprox time if you really want to know,


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*



The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.

Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.

With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"

"I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."

"What exactly do you need help with?"

"My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.

"I am sorry" Henry said.

"It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."

"Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.

"Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."

"Which firm is that?"

"Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.

"Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.

"He has been keeping a journal."

"An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.

"I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.

"Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.

"They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.

"What makes you think I can find him?"

"I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.

Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"

"Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
"Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.

"Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.

Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."

"I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.

Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"

The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."

"There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.

Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.

When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.

The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.



Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.

He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Now I have to start over with new numbers!


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


So, I guess you know I can't go to bed now until I read this blog. And, I'm already depressed because Monk quit on me. (I was usually about 92% sure who done it about 85% of the time.) Now I read this and it's about an accountant who seems to have done it and I'm an accountant too. Right now I'm only 75% sure that the projects Henry works on are what you're working on about 60% of the time. (If that's right, be sure you don't accidentally strike your rare earth magnets too hard with the metal tools because they can shatter rather violently I'm told.) And I've got no clue who done what. Anyway, I'm just wondering if this is a mystery like the season 1 or 2 Monks that you could figure out if you paid close attention to the details as the show went on but, who done it was sort of unexpected. Or, is this like the last two or three seasons where you new up front who done it and the mystery was in how Monk was going to catch them. I much preferred the early Monks so I could figure it out before the wife and kids. But, if this is an early Monk, I'm going to be really depressed because it's just not clicking. So, Brian, should I be breaking out my Excel and plotting alphabet numbers forward and backward, reading some numerology sites, and checking out some cypher books at the library or what?

Best,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Jim,

I am sorry to have become a pediment to your sleep. I know how cats love their naps. I had two magnets find one another tonight and the one did break into 4 pieces. I was careful after thant. Yes, the woodworking bits are my real projects. It is just more fun to tell my woodworking stories this way…I hope.

As for what is to come, I am not saying. It seems that people are enjoying the story, so I may let it run a while. I will occasionally have posts like yesterday, to take days off from the pulp.

Don was very clever in figuring out the 'missing numbes' a couple of days ago, so I decided to include him in the story, as the photographer. I hope he doesn't mind.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


To be honest, i really want to focus on your woodworking content-but the story gets in the way for me. I am interested in your woodworking experience because we are both sort of beginners at that. I know I'm not your only reader so keep having fun, if you are (it looks like a lot of work!). I'm looking forward to seeing the results of your next efforts even if you just do experiments with new tools.

Best,
Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Bill,

I appreciate that feedback. If there are other people out there who are tired of the story, I can wrap it up. I am flexible. 

So leave a comment. I am listening, so to speak, I am actually reading, but you get the idea.

Brian


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Lets not be in to big a hurry to kill off the story just when we get a nice little conflict of interest and the potential for a little fem fa tale peeking around the corner.


----------



## Dez

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Brian, I enjoy the story as well as the woodworking. As for me keep up the good work! Both kinds.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Please keep the story going Brian. Any numbers above 3 tend to give me a headache, but I'm willing to make the sacrifice for the sake of the entertainment value.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


I will share a little anecdote, as I believe it relates to the question of your blogs Brian.

Those out there, that may still remember the Marx brothers should be familiar with Harpo, the silent, buggy horn blowing harpist. When he was young, he found an old harp that belonged to the family and taught himself to play it. He had no musical training, he just experimented. Years later, he decided he wanted to know the proper way to tune and play the instrument, so he hired a musician to teach him. His tutor spent a session watching him tune the harp and adamantly refused to teach him anything. Why? Because Harpo's style and methods were so unique he did not want to spoil that magic by teaching him conventional methods.

So, in that spirit Brian, I would have to say don't change a thing. We all have our methods of working and exhibiting our work. I would have to say your method is one of the most unique and creative of the lot. So I, for one, would not want to suggest anything that would interfere with that process. It is your mojo. You use your magic as you see fit.

David


----------



## asyler

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


I too look forward to the 'stay tuned for the next installment' .. Thanks also for the woodworking as well,,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


It seems that the votes are leaning towards 'remain on course'. The polls are still open if you wish to chime in.


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Keep it going, 'remain on course'.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Thanks to my Mom, who correctly pointed out that I used 'gate' and not 'gait'. She is so smart.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


David-deep and powerful story.

Here's to "mojo".


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Hmmmm don´t take away one of my little 5min. of break
then I only have 3 left they are better than the television
so please let it continue I hate to change channel
it´s too much work to go from the chair and get the 
remote

have a plesent day with the wooden pen
I don´t hope there will come any dust in
the ink

Dennis


----------



## Fireball

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


Did your Mom also note the hero ending a sentence with a preposition? 

"What exactly do you need help with?"

My vote: ditto to what David said above - stay the course! Very entertaining stuff. That it is about woodworking as well is a plus!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Tuesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The next day Henry arrived at his office bright and early. Francis wasn't in yet, as he preferred to roll out of bed at the crack of noon. It was quiet and Henry took out the pencil and a pad of paper. He looked at the pencil again and then used it to write down 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 23. He added the number s up and they equaled 41. Next he assigned each number a letter, a, b, c, e, g, y. Leaning back he pondered his first two attempts, scratched his head, and dismissed them.
> 
> Twenty minutes and three more dismissed theories later, the sound of heels on the hardwood hallway floor caught Henry's attention. He was a bit of an expert on the gait of people. He could tell when it was Francis, he could tell when Big Mike was coming, and he could tell that it was a woman who strode with confidence. The door opened. She stood there momentarily, as if to say, I am here, take me in, I am marvelous. Wearing a Dior dress she had a figure that made an hour glass self conscious and she knew it. She walked in and set her tiny purse on the corner of the desk and asked, "Are you Henry Wood?" in a voice that was dark and hypnotic.
> 
> With a nod Henry motioned to the chair. She sat down and crossed her legs. Boy could she cross a leg. Henry got up and checked the thermostat. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage?"
> 
> "I am Miss Culberson. I need your help and your discretion."
> 
> "What exactly do you need help with?"
> 
> "My father recently passed away…" she said with a pause for a respect full sigh.
> 
> "I am sorry" Henry said.
> 
> "It is ok, it has been a month now, I have grown accustom to the emptiness of the house. The reason I need your help, is that there are some issues with the estate."
> 
> "Issues?" Henry said with the voice he reserved for those occasions when he knew he was being fed a line, but didn't want the feeder to know. It was slightly lower with just a smidgeon of empathy.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, my father may have occasionally been creative with his books, but he was a good man. There is a man at the law firm we use, who seems to have it out for my father and now me."
> 
> "Which firm is that?"
> 
> "Smith, Havershome and Blickstein in town and the man is Mr. Alexander, I think he is an accountant or something." She said, with a casualness that was a bit too casual. Henry considered taking offense at her remark about Manhattan being 'in town', as if Brooklyn wasn't, but her legs were really well crossed.
> 
> "Why do you think he is out to get you?" Henry asked while trying not to look at her legs and intrigued that yet another person is looking for Mr. Alexander.
> 
> "He has been keeping a journal."
> 
> "An accounting journal, being kept by an accountant that seems pretty standard, wouldn't you say?" Henry said, hoping to pry something out of her.
> 
> "I believe he had found some irregularities in my father's books, some tiny little omissions, and he wants to ruin my father's good name and me in the process." She said with another, albeit sadder sigh. Apparently the thought of losing her inheritance was worse than losing her father.
> 
> "Why don't you just go to the partners and ask them to straighten him out? Surely they wouldn't want to lose you as a client." Henry asked, knowing that she would have a polished and prepared answer, but he liked to hear her talk.
> 
> "They don't know where he is. It seems he didn't show up for work yesterday. I need you to find him and get that Journal!" She said, this time, with an air of entitlement.
> 
> "What makes you think I can find him?"
> 
> "I have been told that you are looking for him already. I just ask that when you find him, you bring the journal to me. I will pay you five thousand dollars. Here is half now and half when you deliver." She said and stood, handing Henry a plain envelope, grabbed her purse and left.
> 
> Now he had one job, two clients, and six crazy numbers. The rest of the morning consisted of a trip to the diner for a cup of joe and lots of dead end ideas regarding the pencil clue. Shortly after noon, Francis was coming down the hall with his buddy Don, a photographer at the Brooklyn Daily News. Henry popped his head out and said, "Hello Gents, any good news today?"
> 
> "Is there ever?" scoffed Don. He spent most nights prowling the streets looking for seedy scoops. Francis just shrugged.
> "Hey let me you ask you guys something?" Henry nodded towards his office.
> 
> "Sure Ace" what is it. Don called Henry and everyone else Ace. He was bad with names.
> 
> Francis, Don and Henry filed back into the office and Henry read off the numbers. Francis shrugged again. If he couldn't eat it, he just did care. Don said, "They are all prime numbers."
> 
> "I hadn't noticed that." Henry said, giving Don a nod of appreciation.
> 
> Don looked at the pencil and mused, "I wonder why there are 4 missing primes?"
> 
> The confused look on Henry's face, told Don he should elaborate. "11, 13, 17 and 19, are between 7 and 23."
> 
> "There are 4 missing numbers." Henry said out loud, but mostly to himself. "I wonder…" and his voice trailed off.
> 
> Don and Francis could tell that Henry's wheels were turning so they headed across the hall. Henry needed some wood time, so he grabbed his overcoat and hat and headed home.
> 
> When he got there the closet was empty, as it was most days. He took a piece of oak and rubbed his hand over it. What would this be good for? Henry thought to himself. He grabbed a ruler and a non-clue pencil and made some marks. The wheels were still turning.
> 
> The little piece of wood seemed to want to be turned into a tool holding device. Henry wanted to use the rare earth magnets he had bought some time ago, so he decided he would combine them with the oak and hang it on the wall. He carefully marked out the spots. He would use his Fostner bits, to drill out holes for the magnets. A quick practice hole in a piece of scrap and he was ready. The seven holes drilled out easily. Henry screwed in a magnet holder and was inches from plopping in a magnet when he realized that once it was in, he wouldn't be able to get it out. Those suckers really stick together and the screw would have been hidden under the magnet. It was almost a blunder, but his brain was thinking several steps ahead, just like Mr. Alexander seemed to be doing.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry sanded the board for an hour and now was considering if he should stain it. He had some General Finishes Georgian Cherry Gel Stain that had mysteriously appeared in the closet. He wasn't sure exactly how to use it, so he decided to think about it for a day or so.
> Like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky the number 17 jumped out at him. He felt like the fog was slowly clearing. He was suddenly overcome with hunger and set out to find some dinner.
> 
> He sat down at the kitchen table and pondered out loud, "Mr. Alexander knew I would go to his office. He knew I would notice the pencil. He is a cautious and meticulous man. He wouldn't just write down the clue. He would hide the clue." Henry was now convinced that the real clue was 11, 13, 17 and 19.


I try not to end a sentence with a preposition, but sometimes I miss one or two.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*



The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.

Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.

His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.

Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.

Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.



The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.



He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


Sorry it was so late tonight. I try to shoot for between 8-10 central time, but alas, I went to a woodworking club meeting in CR. It was fun. I learned a few things.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


Hmmm … seems somewhere I read that you need to be careful what kind of tools you hang on a magnetic rack, as in nothing that you might subsequently need to sharpen. Let me get my hippo to rummage around the campus to see if he can find the reference.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


Kacy…I would appreciate that. Did you see…we have 3 people in our Twibe now!

I still love my rack. If I have to, I will use it in the kitchen. I am going to hang something from it!


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


I was thinking that the warning was about chisels, but I will try to find it.

Update: Can't find a thing … must be urban legend.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


ZZZZzzzzzzzzz…... Uh oh ummm yeah. That's what it was, I was waiting for Henry and fell asleep on the dovetail channel. Good show too. No matter, I can sleep another 12 hours in the morning. Henry's having good results from the closet. The Tage Frid thing is kind of worrisome though because even though the current concensus is that you can mess up the space time continuum if you're not careful, did you know that the concensus used to be that you couldn't? Yep, I've been DVRing the old Twilight Zone series and it seems that the concensus back in the sixties was that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't save the people in Hiroshima or the people on the RMS Lusitania. Because you can't change the past. That would mean Henry's future is written in stone and no matter how good his work is, everything is destined to be considered a clever forgery because of the stain that doesn't fit the time period. Or, too many possibilities to consider if Henry can change the future. I hope you see what you're doing to me Brian. If you don't answer all these questions before Henry solves the crime (My assumption there because how do we know he'll do what detectives are supposed to do? Nothing else in this funny world is as it should be…), I'll be a basket case.

Sorry for rambling, good job again Brian.

Godspeed,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


I have not worried too much about the space time continuum. If you remember in "My Life as a Ninja" I placed a Bosch circular saw in 637 AD, and we all know that Bosch didn't start selling their power tools in Japan until 642 AD.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


I would like to point out that as far as we know, no crime has been committed. That is about as smart as I get. The rest is a total mystery to me. I do like the concept of time travel though, especially if one can take modern tools back in time.


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


a mighty fine job on the magnets and staining 
and I'm enjoying the book.. one chapter at a time..
I've never read a book this slowly in my entire life! lol


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


Very true Brian, the Bosch was invented in 642. Then everyone started to question the inventor about that tail thing sticking out of it. And then, when the inventor explained that it was for plugging into a socket that receives electricity from a power plant, they buried the inventor and the Bosch in a big pit only to be excavated centuries later. Of course the ideal could be safely stolen as the patent had long expired and the scroll it was originally written out on illegible.

Great job on the tool holder. Looks very nice and you finally have a use for that impulse purchase you made awhile back  It should look good in the kitchen. Now you have wood and magnetic charm. A more lethal combination than any I heard of.

David


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


The stained magnetic holder appears to be sitting on cookies. 
You have never mentioned cookies.
I somehow think this is a clue.

Steve


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


Could it be that we are starting to see a scattering of red hearing ?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


I would never use a red herring, though a blue trout, an aqua Abacore, a purple pike, or a black beluga sturgeon are all possible.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Wednesday*
> 
> 
> 
> The day had been long. Henry's flash of genius was looking more like a flash of imbecile. Henry had remembered that Francis was working on a story about a restaurant on 17th street. He was sure that the missing numbers were an address. A map, a list, and 12 hours driving around the 5 boroughs, had been less than promising. He was sure that there would be another clue, something that wouldn't be obvious to most, but would jump out at him. Maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought.
> 
> Doubt had crept into the equation. A couple of dozen stops and nothing, well he had found an address across from a great tool store. He popped in and there were a bunch of guys watching a demo of jigs and accessories for making woodworking easier. His favorite was a clever device which would aid in making wooden hinges. Henry knew that if he couldn't stay too long, he noted the address so he could find it again, and continued on his way. With only one address remaining the possibility entered his mind that 11, 13, 17 and 19 may not have been the clue at all, maybe he should reconsider the original numbers.
> 
> His car rolled up outside 1113 17th, an apartment building in the warehouse district. There was a bit of a chill in the air. Henry walked up the steps and into the building. He glanced at the mail boxes. When his eyes landed on apartment 19, and he read the name, he almost stopped breathing, Tage Frid. Henry didn't have time to ponder the implications of his DVD from the future and his current case; he just knew that coincidences like this were never coincidences. He stood for a moment outside apartment 19. He thought about the wonderful furniture created by this man. A deep breath and then he knocked. No sound. He knocked again and nothing, not even a peep, so Henry slowly turned the knob. It was locked.
> 
> Henry looked around, nobody in the hall, so he quickly picked the lock. He leaned his head into the apartment and was both disappointed and sure he was in the right spot. When he saw the name on the box, he figured that the real Tage Frid might be waiting to give him a message, or maybe Mr. Alexander was staying with him. What he found instead was an empty apartment. It wasn't just empty; the vastness of the empty was stunning, and obviously the work of a meticulous man. Henry couldn't find as much as a speck of dust. He looked in the cabinets and they were bare.
> 
> Pacing back and forth didn't seem to help. It was getting dark and Henry was tired. What was the clue? What did the emptiness mean? He took out the drawers in the kitchen. He looked behind the ice box. He even checked in the vents. "Focus" he thought to himself. Henry walked to the window and looked out. Across the street was a warehouse. It did strike Henry as interesting that it was a furniture warehouse. Henry wondered what type of furniture they stored.
> 
> 
> 
> The street was empty. There were a few lights on in the warehouse, but it seemed as if most people had already left for the day. Henry tried the door, it was locked. He decided to look in the window. There was a lot of furniture. Bedroom sets, kitchen tables, chairs, and lamps for as far as the eye could see. Henry's eye went to one piece. A cabinet, a Tage Frid cabinet, was sitting against the far wall. Henry decided he had done enough breaking and entering for the day. Sometimes it is easier to just wait until regular business hours, than to be super sneaky, plus he was hungry and tired.
> 
> 
> 
> He swung by John's deli on the way home and picked up a couple of sandwiches. After dinner he decided to give his magnetic tool holder a bit of color. This was his first attempt at staining anything. He sanded a practice piece of oak and tried it. Since there weren't any disasters he grabbed the tool holder and went at it. Henry didn't have any idea about technique and simply lathered it on with the wooden paint stirrer. As soon as he had one side done, he wiped it off. It only took a few minutes to get the entire board covered. The gloves he wore were pretty messy and leaving marks, so he changed them for a new pair, and wiped every inch one more time, and then set it down to dry. It looked better than he had hoped for. He preferred to take black and white shots, but he had a roll of Ektachrome and decided it to go with color today. Tomorrow he would revisit the furniture store and try to figure out where to hang his new tool rack.


Tage Frid , Herrings +extra´s on rye-bread and Danish Snaps on the well nown coldtable of Danishsanwiches
I think there is coming some Skandinavisk clues around the corner

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*



Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.

Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.

And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.



He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.

He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.

Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.

"This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.

"That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.

"That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.

Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.

"Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."

"I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.

Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.

Dear Henry,

You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life. 
I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.

I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.

Thanks

A

Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


What evil lurks in the hearts of men ? Don't you think your hero should start going armed? a 7ft 2×2 is a little hard to conceal even under the long top coats that were worm back then.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


Damn, and I thought that the volume I had found while doing some light lunch-time reading on land rents was just some scribbling from that crazy old Modigliani. Lucky for you, I put it right back.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


Modigliani…Love him! Fantastic artist.


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


No I can't wait until morning to read each of your daily blogs. As an old man I need the sleep, but could not sleep if I didn't have the latest clues. For that mater, I am not sleeping all that well in antcipation. Your blog is great.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


Oops, wrong Modigliani …. I was going with the econ reference, given that's my forte!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Modigliani


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna.  He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


Only the Shadow knows what evil lurks in the hearts and minds of mortal man…............................


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


Oh…my bad, yes Franco Modigliani. I am such a big fan of the artist, I didn't stop to consider the economist. Great reference, I lose 2 points for missing it.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


Can't economics be summed up by the phrase "Mans unlimited desire for material goods as opposed to mans limited resources"? I think I learned that in Economics 101.

This was absolutely the best chapter in the mystery Brian. You are getting better all the time! Keep up the good work.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


Is that a 7ft 2×2 in your pocket, or are you just glad to see my shop?


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


Boy, I wouldn't touch that one with a 10 foot pole.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency_Thursday Morning*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. The furniture warehouse didn't open until 8 am, but the clock said it was 3 am. He had been asleep for 4 hours. He laid there for another hour and decided he might as well get an early start. An egg sandwich, cup of joe at the diner, and some pleasant conversation with Mable; the sassy little waitress and he had killed an hour. He rolled into the office at around 6:30 and made a list.
> 
> Call Luna and ask if she has heard from her father and bring her up to date.
> Call Miss Culberson and tell her as little as possible. Henry didn't trust her at all.
> Buy groceries and some 1×2's in maple. Henry hadn't done any shopping in a while and his cupboards were looking as bare as 1113 17th street.
> 
> And lastly and most importantly, check out the furniture warehouse and the Frid cabinet.
> He tore the list off his pad and folded it neatly before putting it in his jacket pocket. Henry smiled at himself; he couldn't remember ever folding anything neatly. Mr. Alexander seemed to be rubbing off on him. He picked up the phone and 15 minutes later had updated Miss Alexander and reassured Miss Culberson that he was hot on the trail of a clue.
> 
> 
> 
> He walked down stair and out onto the street. His car was parked in the alley. The street was now busy with morning hustle and bustle. Henry could smell trouble at 100 paces. They sat in their car, reading the paper, but not turning the pages, just holding them there, it was a dead giveaway. There was a third thug leaning against a lamp post, also not reading a newspaper. Henry decided that they could tail him for a while. He would go poke around the lumber yard, buy what he needed and then lose them.
> 
> He found some nice hard maple 1×2's and picked up four 7 foot lengths and bunch of screws, washers, and other miscellaneous items. He loved the lumber yard. It was a big place almost maze like. He knew everyone there and when he went up to the counter he whispered to the manager, "Hey Bill, could you put this stuff on my tab? I need to lose my friends. I will pick it up later." Then at normal voice, "Oh wait, I forgot something." And he whirled around and headed back into the yard. The thugs followed, trying to look casual. Henry made a couple of quick turns and then up some stairs and into the manager's office, which had a convenient back door. He winked at Bill's secretary as he strolled past. She smiled. The thugs got back outside in time to see the tail lights rounding the corner two blocks away.
> 
> Henry took a circuitous route to the furniture warehouse, just to be safe. After some words with the man in charge, he was allowed to take a look at the cabinet. He opened the cabinet it was empty. He looked into the drawers and admired the dovetail joints. Each drawer was carefully removed and each one was magnificent, but held no clues. The old man who had showed Henry to the chest asked what he was looking for, and Henry explained that he thought there might be a message from a friend. The old man wasn't one of those people who suffered from being curious and just shrugged.
> 
> "This cabinet does have a secret drawer." And he carefully showed Henry how it opened.
> 
> "That is incredible; I would have never found that." He said in awe.
> 
> "That is why it is called a 'secret drawer'." said the old man with a wink and a smile.
> 
> Henry pulled it open slowly and there it was, the journal that Miss Culberson was after.
> 
> "Would you look at that? It wasn't there before. I guess your friend did leave you a message."
> 
> "I guess he did." said Henry with a grin, a wink and a nod. He didn't open the journal past the first page; he saw the meticulous handwriting and knew that it was the work of Mr. Alexander. He just tucked it into his jacket and thanked the old man, slipping him a twenty, to forget that he had been there. Henry decided it wasn't safe to go back to his office and he wasn't sure about the lumber yard, so he went to the library. He could bury himself in the stacks and give the journal the once over.
> 
> Henry took out his neatly folded list and turned it over. Page by page he slowly looked over all the entries. There weren't any names, and the numbers didn't make any sense at all. With each turn He found page after page of neatly written and obviously coded financial data. When he turned the last page, there was a note, neatly taped onto the back of the last page.
> 
> Dear Henry,
> 
> You are as clever as I had hoped. It will soon be noticed that I am missing. I cannot tell you where I will be when you find this. I myself don't know. I just know that the little book you are holding has all the financials to put a very powerful and dangerous man behind bars for the rest of his life.
> I went to the police and told them everything just before Christmas. This was a mistake and I should have known better. It has gotten out that somebody at the firm was going to turn states evidence. They didn't know who it was at first, but as soon as I don't show up for work, they will put two and two together. I gave Luna instructions to find you, if I ever stopped coming home. You need to make sure she is safe.
> 
> I can't come out of hiding to testify as he has men everywhere. I need you to get this journal to the district attorney. After you do, I will need you to find the key, so that the book can be decoded. It is too risky to keep them together. Once the DA has both of them, he should have all he needs.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> A
> 
> Henry was suddenly worried about Luna. He hid the journal among the books at the library. He knew every floor and ever section of the library. The section on economic theory was generally ignored by the reading public, so he slid the journal behind several volumes by David Ricardo. He skipped lunch and drove straight out to see Luna. Suddenly he worried that the thugs he had shaken, might have gone their next. He couldn't worry about the groceries, or lumber, or woodworking, he had to find her and get her to a safe place. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


can´t wait for the next 
I wont have much sleep
in the future I gess

I think mr. Wooden need one theese just in case

http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff192/GRUMPY1946/Fun/Fun-04/?action=view&current=DEWALTNAILGUN.jpg

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency*



The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.

Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.

Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.

There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.

"Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"

Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."

"In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.

"Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.

"I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.

"Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."

Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"

"Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.

"I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"

There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.

"There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."

"Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.

It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.

Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.

Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.

Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.



Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.



Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.



She nodded.

"Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.

"I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.

"Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.

They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car.  He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


Let's see … they pulled up behind Henry's car, but he and Lulu were able to get away with ease, so by deduction I can say that she has a circle drive!


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


henry is one fearless guy ,

but i thought he had

brass cauls ?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


Kacy…yes they did.

Patron…Brilliant! 2 points.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


Gluing up panels is my worst nightmare but, I just may make me a set of those cauls too. If there was a way to line them with teflon, I'd be a panel gluing fool.

Background question for you. What was rush hour like back in 1955? New York was still a big city even back then and I'm sure they had a lot of cars. And, I bet the highways weren't as good as they are today. But I never heard of traffic jams back then.

I appreciate your efforts to get the blog out before my second evening nap time. I'm guessing there's got to be some pressure now to go along with the pleasure you've found from blogging and woodworking. Personally, you have my permission to take every Sunday and 31st day off. I don't want you to burn out from some silly arbitrary deadline or streak thing. OK?

Best,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


It wasn't actually a rush hour per se, but more of a mildly brisk 3/4 of an hour, with undertones of rush, but that just didn't flow.

I was curious, so I did some research….

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E04E0DA133DE333A25751C1A9629C946596D6CF
apparently the term was first used in 1837, refearing to coach traffic.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


Would Cal take every Sunday and the 31st off? I think not.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


Cal didn't have a seven day work week nor a 52 week work year… or, are you saying you plan on taking six months off? Yikes!!!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


LOL…no, I don't intend to take 6 months off.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


great as usual 
but what have you done to the pictures they seems so blurry
I didn´t expect that from you sir and I just said to another he shuld talk to you
abaut photo and how to shoot them I´m a little dissapointed but if it is becourse 
of the demand on the site abaut how much picture size have to bee then just
forget my little hasle but I just have to get it aut

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


Dennis,

The pictures are 'Grainy'. I used photoshop to add the grain. In 1950, shooting indoors, with black and white, it would be nearly impossible not to have grain.

Brian


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


The candles are a nice touch, and they serve to keep the light dim, but wouldn't using the light switch or no light at all been a more normal response. Jim I don't think that most traffic jams are or were considered news worthy.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


The house looked dark and empty from the outside, even though the fire place was on, when Henry drove up. He didn't want to change that by turning on a light, a couple of candles let him see, but they weren't too bright.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


I´m sorry I didn´t thought of that
I saw it nearly all the time when I had the darkroom it have been
too long since I have had a darkroom :-(
my hat tipped for you sir no complain from me 

Dennis


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency*
> 
> 
> 
> The falling snow painted a layer of clean on the city. Henry didn't have time to take in the loveliness of it all. He did notice the two children holding hands and spinning around, mouths open, laughing as they drank in the flakes. Their parents watched with the pride. He assumed they were tourists from Florida, real New Yorkers, just hunkered down and got on with their day.
> 
> Henry walked down the street towards his car. He had his eyes open for the thugs, though he couldn't imagine that they would have guessed where he was heading. His pace was brisk, but not so much so, that it looked out of place. It was still early enough that rush hour hadn't started, so Henry expected that he might be able to get out of the city without too much fuss. He was right. He headed north and ninety minutes later he was pulling up the lane at the Alexander house. It was a modest, but elegant place, set back in the woods.
> 
> Henry's tracks were the only ones in the snow. He felt a bit better. He still couldn't be sure though. All he knew for sure is that nobody had driven up the dive in the last hour or so. There didn't seem to be any lights on. He got out of the car, turned up his collar, and with one hand on his hat, used the other to knock. He waited. No sound, no movement, just silence and the feeling of dread welling up deep inside of him. He knocked louder. When he began pounding his fists on the door, his mind was racing, and fear was replacing the dread.
> 
> There wasn't any sound, no wind, no storm, just the millions of flakes streaming down, narrowing the world to a space of about 20 feet. If it got any worse, Henry wouldn't even be able to see his car. He didn't know what he should do next. The barely audible creek of the door handle was deafening. Harry spun around to see the door open just enough for him to see two eyes peering out. As soon as Luna saw who it was, she flung the door open and yelped, "Henry". He was so relieved. She waved for him to come in and as soon as he crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him.
> 
> "Henry! I have been so alone and afraid. I am so glad you are here. Have you found daddy?"
> 
> Henry returned the hug. He couldn't help but notice how warm she was and how nice it felt to hold her. It was a good hug. "I haven't found him yet, but I have found another clue. I will tell you all about it. But right now we need to leave."
> 
> "In this storm?" she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were warm, but there was a bit of fear around the edges.
> 
> "Yes, I am afraid so. I have a house. Nobody knows about it. My neighbors don't know who I really am. It is a good place. You will be safe there.
> 
> "I feel safe with you." She hugged him again.
> 
> "Ok, now go pack a bag. Do it quickly, the storm is not going to let up, and we need to get on our way."
> 
> Henry watched her walk up the stairs and he stood in front of the fire to knock the chill off. He was trying to think one step ahead. It seemed like a run of good luck that nobody had gone after Luna yet. He wondered if they were on their way. He put out the fire after lighting a couple candles. Luna had been napping on the couch. He folded the blanket and put it on the arm of the sofa. Henry walked to the front door and peered out the window. He could barely see the car. He heard Lulu coming down the stairs when he saw the headlights. He stepped away from the window, and instinctively felt for the six shot cobra under his jacket. He didn't want to get in a shoot out though. He was certain that they would have a lot more firepower. Their car pulled up behind Henrys. Henry grinned and put the chain across the door.
> He whispered to Luna, "There are some dangerous people outside. Soon they will be inside. We need another way out?"
> 
> "Who's out there?" She sounded frightened.
> 
> "I will tell you when we are safe. Now where are the doors?"
> 
> There was a pounding at the front door, someone was trying the handle.
> 
> "There is a back door to the patio, and the side door by the kitchen."
> 
> "Side door will do." Henry said, taking her by the hand.
> 
> It was dark inside; there were only the candles that Henry had lit. The door erupted as one of the thugs kicked it open. As soon as he heard the front door being kicked in, Henry opened the side door in the kitchen, and he and Luna were out into the storm.
> 
> Inside the thugs were spreading out. One had run upstairs; the other was checking the cellar, while the third one was in the family room and heading towards the kitchen. Luna rushed to the passenger side and Henry stopped long enough to shoot out both the tires on the left side of the other car. He hopped into the car and fired it up. His car didn't do great on the snow, but it would do better than one with two flat tires car. They were gone before the thugs made it back outside.
> 
> Over the next two hours they crept back to Henry's place, he had explained how he had found the journal and told her about the trouble her father was in at the firm. When they got home, Luna was tired and looked like she was about to drop. Henry grabbed her bag and showed her inside. A quick tour ended at the bedroom and Henry grabbed a blanket and pillow. He would sleep on the couch. Normally she would have objected, but she was too tired. Henry said he would be downstairs if she needed anything.
> 
> Twenty minutes later Henry had pulled out some 1×2 maple he had lying around. He hadn't gotten back to the lumber yard, so he would just have to use some scraps to make something. He didn't care what he made, he just needed to create. He had seen an article by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma, where George had made a set of adjustable panel cauls. He measured each one carefully and then used his Japanese hand saw to cut them. The spacers for the cauls needed to be one and one half inches, and he needed 12 of them. The hand saw worked fine for those as well. He was really happy with how good he was getting with hand tools.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry was really in the zone, he didn't even notice Luna sitting on the stair watching. She had her hair pulled back, wore a big wool sweater, and had her legs pulled up to her chest. She was a tiny ball of quiet, but she felt safe. Henry's precision and attention to detail reminded her of her father. She thought about him. She wondered where he was and if he was ok.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry finished the half of the first caul when he looked up and saw her sitting there. She was peeking out over her knees. He saw the corner of her eyes go up and he knew she was smiling. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
> 
> 
> 
> She nodded.
> 
> "Do you like Chinese?" He said, walking around to the stairs.
> 
> "I love Chinese food, but can we get it, with the storm?" Luna said, poking her head up over her knees.
> 
> "Mr. Wong fears nothing! And it is only 2 blocks. So I think we are ok." Henry said with a wink. Luna gave a little clap.
> 
> They ate and talked. Luna fell asleep on the couch; Henry pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and then got a blanket for himself. A few minutes later he was asleep in the chair next to the couch.


Thanks for the latest installment Brian.

*Outputter* You might try wrapping your cauls in packing tape to solve the glue problem.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: Bad News*



The note simply said, "Went to the store for bacon, eggs, juice, and bread." Luna wiped the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. The house was small but cozy. She hadn't paid much attention the night before; she was too overwhelmed. On one wall was half a dozen photos of Washington DC. They were nicely framed and were quite nice. The other walls were mostly covered by book shelves. She ran her finger along the spines and read some of the titles, "Candide", "Father's and Children", a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling, a book of haiku, and various tomes on chess.

She went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. The sound of the front door startled her, but she immediately heard Henry calling out. Henry had also picked up the morning paper, the headline was disturbing, and he wasn't sure if she was ready. He hid it behind the credenza and headed into the kitchen. He heard the sink running in bathroom as he unpacked the groceries. Henry was an extraordinarily average cook, mostly he could keep himself alive, but he did make a pretty good breakfast. He hoped she liked bacon and eggs, and thought to himself, "Everyone likes bacon and eggs!"

Luna walked into the kitchen and said, "That smells delightful. Here let me help." She took the spatula out of Henry's hand and took over. He wasn't use to being taken care of, and it made him a little bit uncomfortable, but she looked really happy, so he sat down at the kitchen table, trying not to think about the paper.

"Luna, you really don't need to do that, I can make breakfast." Henry said.

"You aren't used to being taken care of, are you?" Luna said with a little smile, and then continued, "Why haven't you found yourself a Mrs. Wood?"

Henry chuckled. He could tell she was feeling much better after a good night's sleep. He liked seeing her like this. He also felt that a subject change was a good idea. "So, how long have you been working at the bakery?"

Her eyes got big, "I love baking, cooking is fun, but making cookies and cakes is the most wonderful thing in the world. I have been there for about 10 years. I make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world." She said, sticking out her chest as she pointed to herself with her thumb. "Since I came to see you, I haven't been into work though. I have been too worried." Suddenly she was sad again.

Henry thought another subject change was in order. "What else do you like to do?"
She flipped the bacon over and cocked her head to the side, "I like books. I like books a bunch, they are swell. I have a degree in literature from Oberlin College. Did you know that the first woman to ever attend college went to Oberlin?"

"I didn't know that."

"Her name was Lucy Stone and she graduated in 1847. I wrote a paper about her relationship with Susan B. Anthony. It got an A."

"I bet it did. Do you like to write?" Henry asked, seeing that her mood was on the upswing again.

Luna cracked an egg into the skillet. It didn't even look like she was thinking about it, she was a machine in the kitchen. Henry just sat and watched her precise movements; it must be an Alexander trait. Another egg hit the skillet and she said, "I do like to write. I keep a journal and I write some stories, but I would never want to be a writer."

"Oh, why is that?"

"Because when you get done writing a story, you can't eat it!" She said giggling.

Henry laughed too.

They sat at the table and ate breakfast, telling stories and laughing about Henry's college days. He had a thousand stories and she loved them. Her days at Oberlin were much tamer. Henry was exciting and he made her feel safe.



Henry told her that he was almost done with his cauls, and asked if she would like to come downstairs while he finished them. She said she would be down after the dishes. Henry tried to object, but she would have none of it, and sent him down to the basement to play.

When Luna came downstairs she sat next to the workbench and asked him about his project. Henry loved talking about woodworking, and wasn't ready to tell her about the Headline. "Cauls are helpful in gluing up boards. You apply the glue to the edges, lay some wax paper over both sides, clamp them lightly together, and then put a caul over each end." He said, while he sanded a small block of wood, and continued, "Once you tighten it down, they keep the boards from popping up when you tighten the clamps, and the wax paper keeps the glue from sticking to the caul."

"That is quite clever. I use wax paper for cooking." She said, and then asked, "How did you learn how to build a caul?"

"I read an article in a magazine. It described what I needed." He answered, and then proceeded to list off the components, "8 pieces of 2 inch maple, cut to 36 inches long, and twelve 2 inch by 3 inch spacer block, plus some 5 inch bolts and knobs."

"They look lovely."

"Thanks, the directions didn't call for it, but I spent a lot of time sanding each piece, so it will feel nice and I won't get splinters." He said with pride.

The rest of the morning was spent talking in the basement. Henry didn't know that Big Mike was looking for him. He didn't know that his phone at his apartment in the city had been ringing off the hook. He didn't know about the fire.


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Bad News*
> 
> 
> 
> The note simply said, "Went to the store for bacon, eggs, juice, and bread." Luna wiped the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. The house was small but cozy. She hadn't paid much attention the night before; she was too overwhelmed. On one wall was half a dozen photos of Washington DC. They were nicely framed and were quite nice. The other walls were mostly covered by book shelves. She ran her finger along the spines and read some of the titles, "Candide", "Father's and Children", a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling, a book of haiku, and various tomes on chess.
> 
> She went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. The sound of the front door startled her, but she immediately heard Henry calling out. Henry had also picked up the morning paper, the headline was disturbing, and he wasn't sure if she was ready. He hid it behind the credenza and headed into the kitchen. He heard the sink running in bathroom as he unpacked the groceries. Henry was an extraordinarily average cook, mostly he could keep himself alive, but he did make a pretty good breakfast. He hoped she liked bacon and eggs, and thought to himself, "Everyone likes bacon and eggs!"
> 
> Luna walked into the kitchen and said, "That smells delightful. Here let me help." She took the spatula out of Henry's hand and took over. He wasn't use to being taken care of, and it made him a little bit uncomfortable, but she looked really happy, so he sat down at the kitchen table, trying not to think about the paper.
> 
> "Luna, you really don't need to do that, I can make breakfast." Henry said.
> 
> "You aren't used to being taken care of, are you?" Luna said with a little smile, and then continued, "Why haven't you found yourself a Mrs. Wood?"
> 
> Henry chuckled. He could tell she was feeling much better after a good night's sleep. He liked seeing her like this. He also felt that a subject change was a good idea. "So, how long have you been working at the bakery?"
> 
> Her eyes got big, "I love baking, cooking is fun, but making cookies and cakes is the most wonderful thing in the world. I have been there for about 10 years. I make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world." She said, sticking out her chest as she pointed to herself with her thumb. "Since I came to see you, I haven't been into work though. I have been too worried." Suddenly she was sad again.
> 
> Henry thought another subject change was in order. "What else do you like to do?"
> She flipped the bacon over and cocked her head to the side, "I like books. I like books a bunch, they are swell. I have a degree in literature from Oberlin College. Did you know that the first woman to ever attend college went to Oberlin?"
> 
> "I didn't know that."
> 
> "Her name was Lucy Stone and she graduated in 1847. I wrote a paper about her relationship with Susan B. Anthony. It got an A."
> 
> "I bet it did. Do you like to write?" Henry asked, seeing that her mood was on the upswing again.
> 
> Luna cracked an egg into the skillet. It didn't even look like she was thinking about it, she was a machine in the kitchen. Henry just sat and watched her precise movements; it must be an Alexander trait. Another egg hit the skillet and she said, "I do like to write. I keep a journal and I write some stories, but I would never want to be a writer."
> 
> "Oh, why is that?"
> 
> "Because when you get done writing a story, you can't eat it!" She said giggling.
> 
> Henry laughed too.
> 
> They sat at the table and ate breakfast, telling stories and laughing about Henry's college days. He had a thousand stories and she loved them. Her days at Oberlin were much tamer. Henry was exciting and he made her feel safe.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry told her that he was almost done with his cauls, and asked if she would like to come downstairs while he finished them. She said she would be down after the dishes. Henry tried to object, but she would have none of it, and sent him down to the basement to play.
> 
> When Luna came downstairs she sat next to the workbench and asked him about his project. Henry loved talking about woodworking, and wasn't ready to tell her about the Headline. "Cauls are helpful in gluing up boards. You apply the glue to the edges, lay some wax paper over both sides, clamp them lightly together, and then put a caul over each end." He said, while he sanded a small block of wood, and continued, "Once you tighten it down, they keep the boards from popping up when you tighten the clamps, and the wax paper keeps the glue from sticking to the caul."
> 
> "That is quite clever. I use wax paper for cooking." She said, and then asked, "How did you learn how to build a caul?"
> 
> "I read an article in a magazine. It described what I needed." He answered, and then proceeded to list off the components, "8 pieces of 2 inch maple, cut to 36 inches long, and twelve 2 inch by 3 inch spacer block, plus some 5 inch bolts and knobs."
> 
> "They look lovely."
> 
> "Thanks, the directions didn't call for it, but I spent a lot of time sanding each piece, so it will feel nice and I won't get splinters." He said with pride.
> 
> The rest of the morning was spent talking in the basement. Henry didn't know that Big Mike was looking for him. He didn't know that his phone at his apartment in the city had been ringing off the hook. He didn't know about the fire.


And the beat goes on…..........................!!!!


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Bad News*
> 
> 
> 
> The note simply said, "Went to the store for bacon, eggs, juice, and bread." Luna wiped the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. The house was small but cozy. She hadn't paid much attention the night before; she was too overwhelmed. On one wall was half a dozen photos of Washington DC. They were nicely framed and were quite nice. The other walls were mostly covered by book shelves. She ran her finger along the spines and read some of the titles, "Candide", "Father's and Children", a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling, a book of haiku, and various tomes on chess.
> 
> She went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. The sound of the front door startled her, but she immediately heard Henry calling out. Henry had also picked up the morning paper, the headline was disturbing, and he wasn't sure if she was ready. He hid it behind the credenza and headed into the kitchen. He heard the sink running in bathroom as he unpacked the groceries. Henry was an extraordinarily average cook, mostly he could keep himself alive, but he did make a pretty good breakfast. He hoped she liked bacon and eggs, and thought to himself, "Everyone likes bacon and eggs!"
> 
> Luna walked into the kitchen and said, "That smells delightful. Here let me help." She took the spatula out of Henry's hand and took over. He wasn't use to being taken care of, and it made him a little bit uncomfortable, but she looked really happy, so he sat down at the kitchen table, trying not to think about the paper.
> 
> "Luna, you really don't need to do that, I can make breakfast." Henry said.
> 
> "You aren't used to being taken care of, are you?" Luna said with a little smile, and then continued, "Why haven't you found yourself a Mrs. Wood?"
> 
> Henry chuckled. He could tell she was feeling much better after a good night's sleep. He liked seeing her like this. He also felt that a subject change was a good idea. "So, how long have you been working at the bakery?"
> 
> Her eyes got big, "I love baking, cooking is fun, but making cookies and cakes is the most wonderful thing in the world. I have been there for about 10 years. I make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world." She said, sticking out her chest as she pointed to herself with her thumb. "Since I came to see you, I haven't been into work though. I have been too worried." Suddenly she was sad again.
> 
> Henry thought another subject change was in order. "What else do you like to do?"
> She flipped the bacon over and cocked her head to the side, "I like books. I like books a bunch, they are swell. I have a degree in literature from Oberlin College. Did you know that the first woman to ever attend college went to Oberlin?"
> 
> "I didn't know that."
> 
> "Her name was Lucy Stone and she graduated in 1847. I wrote a paper about her relationship with Susan B. Anthony. It got an A."
> 
> "I bet it did. Do you like to write?" Henry asked, seeing that her mood was on the upswing again.
> 
> Luna cracked an egg into the skillet. It didn't even look like she was thinking about it, she was a machine in the kitchen. Henry just sat and watched her precise movements; it must be an Alexander trait. Another egg hit the skillet and she said, "I do like to write. I keep a journal and I write some stories, but I would never want to be a writer."
> 
> "Oh, why is that?"
> 
> "Because when you get done writing a story, you can't eat it!" She said giggling.
> 
> Henry laughed too.
> 
> They sat at the table and ate breakfast, telling stories and laughing about Henry's college days. He had a thousand stories and she loved them. Her days at Oberlin were much tamer. Henry was exciting and he made her feel safe.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry told her that he was almost done with his cauls, and asked if she would like to come downstairs while he finished them. She said she would be down after the dishes. Henry tried to object, but she would have none of it, and sent him down to the basement to play.
> 
> When Luna came downstairs she sat next to the workbench and asked him about his project. Henry loved talking about woodworking, and wasn't ready to tell her about the Headline. "Cauls are helpful in gluing up boards. You apply the glue to the edges, lay some wax paper over both sides, clamp them lightly together, and then put a caul over each end." He said, while he sanded a small block of wood, and continued, "Once you tighten it down, they keep the boards from popping up when you tighten the clamps, and the wax paper keeps the glue from sticking to the caul."
> 
> "That is quite clever. I use wax paper for cooking." She said, and then asked, "How did you learn how to build a caul?"
> 
> "I read an article in a magazine. It described what I needed." He answered, and then proceeded to list off the components, "8 pieces of 2 inch maple, cut to 36 inches long, and twelve 2 inch by 3 inch spacer block, plus some 5 inch bolts and knobs."
> 
> "They look lovely."
> 
> "Thanks, the directions didn't call for it, but I spent a lot of time sanding each piece, so it will feel nice and I won't get splinters." He said with pride.
> 
> The rest of the morning was spent talking in the basement. Henry didn't know that Big Mike was looking for him. He didn't know that his phone at his apartment in the city had been ringing off the hook. He didn't know about the fire.


cookies and cauls ,

priceless !


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Bad News*
> 
> 
> 
> The note simply said, "Went to the store for bacon, eggs, juice, and bread." Luna wiped the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. The house was small but cozy. She hadn't paid much attention the night before; she was too overwhelmed. On one wall was half a dozen photos of Washington DC. They were nicely framed and were quite nice. The other walls were mostly covered by book shelves. She ran her finger along the spines and read some of the titles, "Candide", "Father's and Children", a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling, a book of haiku, and various tomes on chess.
> 
> She went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. The sound of the front door startled her, but she immediately heard Henry calling out. Henry had also picked up the morning paper, the headline was disturbing, and he wasn't sure if she was ready. He hid it behind the credenza and headed into the kitchen. He heard the sink running in bathroom as he unpacked the groceries. Henry was an extraordinarily average cook, mostly he could keep himself alive, but he did make a pretty good breakfast. He hoped she liked bacon and eggs, and thought to himself, "Everyone likes bacon and eggs!"
> 
> Luna walked into the kitchen and said, "That smells delightful. Here let me help." She took the spatula out of Henry's hand and took over. He wasn't use to being taken care of, and it made him a little bit uncomfortable, but she looked really happy, so he sat down at the kitchen table, trying not to think about the paper.
> 
> "Luna, you really don't need to do that, I can make breakfast." Henry said.
> 
> "You aren't used to being taken care of, are you?" Luna said with a little smile, and then continued, "Why haven't you found yourself a Mrs. Wood?"
> 
> Henry chuckled. He could tell she was feeling much better after a good night's sleep. He liked seeing her like this. He also felt that a subject change was a good idea. "So, how long have you been working at the bakery?"
> 
> Her eyes got big, "I love baking, cooking is fun, but making cookies and cakes is the most wonderful thing in the world. I have been there for about 10 years. I make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world." She said, sticking out her chest as she pointed to herself with her thumb. "Since I came to see you, I haven't been into work though. I have been too worried." Suddenly she was sad again.
> 
> Henry thought another subject change was in order. "What else do you like to do?"
> She flipped the bacon over and cocked her head to the side, "I like books. I like books a bunch, they are swell. I have a degree in literature from Oberlin College. Did you know that the first woman to ever attend college went to Oberlin?"
> 
> "I didn't know that."
> 
> "Her name was Lucy Stone and she graduated in 1847. I wrote a paper about her relationship with Susan B. Anthony. It got an A."
> 
> "I bet it did. Do you like to write?" Henry asked, seeing that her mood was on the upswing again.
> 
> Luna cracked an egg into the skillet. It didn't even look like she was thinking about it, she was a machine in the kitchen. Henry just sat and watched her precise movements; it must be an Alexander trait. Another egg hit the skillet and she said, "I do like to write. I keep a journal and I write some stories, but I would never want to be a writer."
> 
> "Oh, why is that?"
> 
> "Because when you get done writing a story, you can't eat it!" She said giggling.
> 
> Henry laughed too.
> 
> They sat at the table and ate breakfast, telling stories and laughing about Henry's college days. He had a thousand stories and she loved them. Her days at Oberlin were much tamer. Henry was exciting and he made her feel safe.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry told her that he was almost done with his cauls, and asked if she would like to come downstairs while he finished them. She said she would be down after the dishes. Henry tried to object, but she would have none of it, and sent him down to the basement to play.
> 
> When Luna came downstairs she sat next to the workbench and asked him about his project. Henry loved talking about woodworking, and wasn't ready to tell her about the Headline. "Cauls are helpful in gluing up boards. You apply the glue to the edges, lay some wax paper over both sides, clamp them lightly together, and then put a caul over each end." He said, while he sanded a small block of wood, and continued, "Once you tighten it down, they keep the boards from popping up when you tighten the clamps, and the wax paper keeps the glue from sticking to the caul."
> 
> "That is quite clever. I use wax paper for cooking." She said, and then asked, "How did you learn how to build a caul?"
> 
> "I read an article in a magazine. It described what I needed." He answered, and then proceeded to list off the components, "8 pieces of 2 inch maple, cut to 36 inches long, and twelve 2 inch by 3 inch spacer block, plus some 5 inch bolts and knobs."
> 
> "They look lovely."
> 
> "Thanks, the directions didn't call for it, but I spent a lot of time sanding each piece, so it will feel nice and I won't get splinters." He said with pride.
> 
> The rest of the morning was spent talking in the basement. Henry didn't know that Big Mike was looking for him. He didn't know that his phone at his apartment in the city had been ringing off the hook. He didn't know about the fire.


I am looking forward to the next installment, Brian.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Bad News*
> 
> 
> 
> The note simply said, "Went to the store for bacon, eggs, juice, and bread." Luna wiped the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. The house was small but cozy. She hadn't paid much attention the night before; she was too overwhelmed. On one wall was half a dozen photos of Washington DC. They were nicely framed and were quite nice. The other walls were mostly covered by book shelves. She ran her finger along the spines and read some of the titles, "Candide", "Father's and Children", a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling, a book of haiku, and various tomes on chess.
> 
> She went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. The sound of the front door startled her, but she immediately heard Henry calling out. Henry had also picked up the morning paper, the headline was disturbing, and he wasn't sure if she was ready. He hid it behind the credenza and headed into the kitchen. He heard the sink running in bathroom as he unpacked the groceries. Henry was an extraordinarily average cook, mostly he could keep himself alive, but he did make a pretty good breakfast. He hoped she liked bacon and eggs, and thought to himself, "Everyone likes bacon and eggs!"
> 
> Luna walked into the kitchen and said, "That smells delightful. Here let me help." She took the spatula out of Henry's hand and took over. He wasn't use to being taken care of, and it made him a little bit uncomfortable, but she looked really happy, so he sat down at the kitchen table, trying not to think about the paper.
> 
> "Luna, you really don't need to do that, I can make breakfast." Henry said.
> 
> "You aren't used to being taken care of, are you?" Luna said with a little smile, and then continued, "Why haven't you found yourself a Mrs. Wood?"
> 
> Henry chuckled. He could tell she was feeling much better after a good night's sleep. He liked seeing her like this. He also felt that a subject change was a good idea. "So, how long have you been working at the bakery?"
> 
> Her eyes got big, "I love baking, cooking is fun, but making cookies and cakes is the most wonderful thing in the world. I have been there for about 10 years. I make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world." She said, sticking out her chest as she pointed to herself with her thumb. "Since I came to see you, I haven't been into work though. I have been too worried." Suddenly she was sad again.
> 
> Henry thought another subject change was in order. "What else do you like to do?"
> She flipped the bacon over and cocked her head to the side, "I like books. I like books a bunch, they are swell. I have a degree in literature from Oberlin College. Did you know that the first woman to ever attend college went to Oberlin?"
> 
> "I didn't know that."
> 
> "Her name was Lucy Stone and she graduated in 1847. I wrote a paper about her relationship with Susan B. Anthony. It got an A."
> 
> "I bet it did. Do you like to write?" Henry asked, seeing that her mood was on the upswing again.
> 
> Luna cracked an egg into the skillet. It didn't even look like she was thinking about it, she was a machine in the kitchen. Henry just sat and watched her precise movements; it must be an Alexander trait. Another egg hit the skillet and she said, "I do like to write. I keep a journal and I write some stories, but I would never want to be a writer."
> 
> "Oh, why is that?"
> 
> "Because when you get done writing a story, you can't eat it!" She said giggling.
> 
> Henry laughed too.
> 
> They sat at the table and ate breakfast, telling stories and laughing about Henry's college days. He had a thousand stories and she loved them. Her days at Oberlin were much tamer. Henry was exciting and he made her feel safe.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry told her that he was almost done with his cauls, and asked if she would like to come downstairs while he finished them. She said she would be down after the dishes. Henry tried to object, but she would have none of it, and sent him down to the basement to play.
> 
> When Luna came downstairs she sat next to the workbench and asked him about his project. Henry loved talking about woodworking, and wasn't ready to tell her about the Headline. "Cauls are helpful in gluing up boards. You apply the glue to the edges, lay some wax paper over both sides, clamp them lightly together, and then put a caul over each end." He said, while he sanded a small block of wood, and continued, "Once you tighten it down, they keep the boards from popping up when you tighten the clamps, and the wax paper keeps the glue from sticking to the caul."
> 
> "That is quite clever. I use wax paper for cooking." She said, and then asked, "How did you learn how to build a caul?"
> 
> "I read an article in a magazine. It described what I needed." He answered, and then proceeded to list off the components, "8 pieces of 2 inch maple, cut to 36 inches long, and twelve 2 inch by 3 inch spacer block, plus some 5 inch bolts and knobs."
> 
> "They look lovely."
> 
> "Thanks, the directions didn't call for it, but I spent a lot of time sanding each piece, so it will feel nice and I won't get splinters." He said with pride.
> 
> The rest of the morning was spent talking in the basement. Henry didn't know that Big Mike was looking for him. He didn't know that his phone at his apartment in the city had been ringing off the hook. He didn't know about the fire.


hmmmm not bad at all
eggs and bacon mums
with amorrins in the air

looking forward to next meal 
looking forward to see the cauls 
in aktion

Dennis


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Bad News*
> 
> 
> 
> The note simply said, "Went to the store for bacon, eggs, juice, and bread." Luna wiped the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. The house was small but cozy. She hadn't paid much attention the night before; she was too overwhelmed. On one wall was half a dozen photos of Washington DC. They were nicely framed and were quite nice. The other walls were mostly covered by book shelves. She ran her finger along the spines and read some of the titles, "Candide", "Father's and Children", a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling, a book of haiku, and various tomes on chess.
> 
> She went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. The sound of the front door startled her, but she immediately heard Henry calling out. Henry had also picked up the morning paper, the headline was disturbing, and he wasn't sure if she was ready. He hid it behind the credenza and headed into the kitchen. He heard the sink running in bathroom as he unpacked the groceries. Henry was an extraordinarily average cook, mostly he could keep himself alive, but he did make a pretty good breakfast. He hoped she liked bacon and eggs, and thought to himself, "Everyone likes bacon and eggs!"
> 
> Luna walked into the kitchen and said, "That smells delightful. Here let me help." She took the spatula out of Henry's hand and took over. He wasn't use to being taken care of, and it made him a little bit uncomfortable, but she looked really happy, so he sat down at the kitchen table, trying not to think about the paper.
> 
> "Luna, you really don't need to do that, I can make breakfast." Henry said.
> 
> "You aren't used to being taken care of, are you?" Luna said with a little smile, and then continued, "Why haven't you found yourself a Mrs. Wood?"
> 
> Henry chuckled. He could tell she was feeling much better after a good night's sleep. He liked seeing her like this. He also felt that a subject change was a good idea. "So, how long have you been working at the bakery?"
> 
> Her eyes got big, "I love baking, cooking is fun, but making cookies and cakes is the most wonderful thing in the world. I have been there for about 10 years. I make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world." She said, sticking out her chest as she pointed to herself with her thumb. "Since I came to see you, I haven't been into work though. I have been too worried." Suddenly she was sad again.
> 
> Henry thought another subject change was in order. "What else do you like to do?"
> She flipped the bacon over and cocked her head to the side, "I like books. I like books a bunch, they are swell. I have a degree in literature from Oberlin College. Did you know that the first woman to ever attend college went to Oberlin?"
> 
> "I didn't know that."
> 
> "Her name was Lucy Stone and she graduated in 1847. I wrote a paper about her relationship with Susan B. Anthony. It got an A."
> 
> "I bet it did. Do you like to write?" Henry asked, seeing that her mood was on the upswing again.
> 
> Luna cracked an egg into the skillet. It didn't even look like she was thinking about it, she was a machine in the kitchen. Henry just sat and watched her precise movements; it must be an Alexander trait. Another egg hit the skillet and she said, "I do like to write. I keep a journal and I write some stories, but I would never want to be a writer."
> 
> "Oh, why is that?"
> 
> "Because when you get done writing a story, you can't eat it!" She said giggling.
> 
> Henry laughed too.
> 
> They sat at the table and ate breakfast, telling stories and laughing about Henry's college days. He had a thousand stories and she loved them. Her days at Oberlin were much tamer. Henry was exciting and he made her feel safe.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry told her that he was almost done with his cauls, and asked if she would like to come downstairs while he finished them. She said she would be down after the dishes. Henry tried to object, but she would have none of it, and sent him down to the basement to play.
> 
> When Luna came downstairs she sat next to the workbench and asked him about his project. Henry loved talking about woodworking, and wasn't ready to tell her about the Headline. "Cauls are helpful in gluing up boards. You apply the glue to the edges, lay some wax paper over both sides, clamp them lightly together, and then put a caul over each end." He said, while he sanded a small block of wood, and continued, "Once you tighten it down, they keep the boards from popping up when you tighten the clamps, and the wax paper keeps the glue from sticking to the caul."
> 
> "That is quite clever. I use wax paper for cooking." She said, and then asked, "How did you learn how to build a caul?"
> 
> "I read an article in a magazine. It described what I needed." He answered, and then proceeded to list off the components, "8 pieces of 2 inch maple, cut to 36 inches long, and twelve 2 inch by 3 inch spacer block, plus some 5 inch bolts and knobs."
> 
> "They look lovely."
> 
> "Thanks, the directions didn't call for it, but I spent a lot of time sanding each piece, so it will feel nice and I won't get splinters." He said with pride.
> 
> The rest of the morning was spent talking in the basement. Henry didn't know that Big Mike was looking for him. He didn't know that his phone at his apartment in the city had been ringing off the hook. He didn't know about the fire.


This seems to be settling into a live in situation. Remember that in 1955 these did not openly exist and a women with a d-i-v-o-r-c-e frequently would not even be allowed to rent in many neighborhoods. ( I saw some of this in our neighbor hood)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Bad News*
> 
> 
> 
> The note simply said, "Went to the store for bacon, eggs, juice, and bread." Luna wiped the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. The house was small but cozy. She hadn't paid much attention the night before; she was too overwhelmed. On one wall was half a dozen photos of Washington DC. They were nicely framed and were quite nice. The other walls were mostly covered by book shelves. She ran her finger along the spines and read some of the titles, "Candide", "Father's and Children", a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling, a book of haiku, and various tomes on chess.
> 
> She went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. The sound of the front door startled her, but she immediately heard Henry calling out. Henry had also picked up the morning paper, the headline was disturbing, and he wasn't sure if she was ready. He hid it behind the credenza and headed into the kitchen. He heard the sink running in bathroom as he unpacked the groceries. Henry was an extraordinarily average cook, mostly he could keep himself alive, but he did make a pretty good breakfast. He hoped she liked bacon and eggs, and thought to himself, "Everyone likes bacon and eggs!"
> 
> Luna walked into the kitchen and said, "That smells delightful. Here let me help." She took the spatula out of Henry's hand and took over. He wasn't use to being taken care of, and it made him a little bit uncomfortable, but she looked really happy, so he sat down at the kitchen table, trying not to think about the paper.
> 
> "Luna, you really don't need to do that, I can make breakfast." Henry said.
> 
> "You aren't used to being taken care of, are you?" Luna said with a little smile, and then continued, "Why haven't you found yourself a Mrs. Wood?"
> 
> Henry chuckled. He could tell she was feeling much better after a good night's sleep. He liked seeing her like this. He also felt that a subject change was a good idea. "So, how long have you been working at the bakery?"
> 
> Her eyes got big, "I love baking, cooking is fun, but making cookies and cakes is the most wonderful thing in the world. I have been there for about 10 years. I make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world." She said, sticking out her chest as she pointed to herself with her thumb. "Since I came to see you, I haven't been into work though. I have been too worried." Suddenly she was sad again.
> 
> Henry thought another subject change was in order. "What else do you like to do?"
> She flipped the bacon over and cocked her head to the side, "I like books. I like books a bunch, they are swell. I have a degree in literature from Oberlin College. Did you know that the first woman to ever attend college went to Oberlin?"
> 
> "I didn't know that."
> 
> "Her name was Lucy Stone and she graduated in 1847. I wrote a paper about her relationship with Susan B. Anthony. It got an A."
> 
> "I bet it did. Do you like to write?" Henry asked, seeing that her mood was on the upswing again.
> 
> Luna cracked an egg into the skillet. It didn't even look like she was thinking about it, she was a machine in the kitchen. Henry just sat and watched her precise movements; it must be an Alexander trait. Another egg hit the skillet and she said, "I do like to write. I keep a journal and I write some stories, but I would never want to be a writer."
> 
> "Oh, why is that?"
> 
> "Because when you get done writing a story, you can't eat it!" She said giggling.
> 
> Henry laughed too.
> 
> They sat at the table and ate breakfast, telling stories and laughing about Henry's college days. He had a thousand stories and she loved them. Her days at Oberlin were much tamer. Henry was exciting and he made her feel safe.
> 
> 
> 
> Henry told her that he was almost done with his cauls, and asked if she would like to come downstairs while he finished them. She said she would be down after the dishes. Henry tried to object, but she would have none of it, and sent him down to the basement to play.
> 
> When Luna came downstairs she sat next to the workbench and asked him about his project. Henry loved talking about woodworking, and wasn't ready to tell her about the Headline. "Cauls are helpful in gluing up boards. You apply the glue to the edges, lay some wax paper over both sides, clamp them lightly together, and then put a caul over each end." He said, while he sanded a small block of wood, and continued, "Once you tighten it down, they keep the boards from popping up when you tighten the clamps, and the wax paper keeps the glue from sticking to the caul."
> 
> "That is quite clever. I use wax paper for cooking." She said, and then asked, "How did you learn how to build a caul?"
> 
> "I read an article in a magazine. It described what I needed." He answered, and then proceeded to list off the components, "8 pieces of 2 inch maple, cut to 36 inches long, and twelve 2 inch by 3 inch spacer block, plus some 5 inch bolts and knobs."
> 
> "They look lovely."
> 
> "Thanks, the directions didn't call for it, but I spent a lot of time sanding each piece, so it will feel nice and I won't get splinters." He said with pride.
> 
> The rest of the morning was spent talking in the basement. Henry didn't know that Big Mike was looking for him. He didn't know that his phone at his apartment in the city had been ringing off the hook. He didn't know about the fire.


To paraphrase from the play 'Barefoot in the Park', 'One day doesn't not roommate make.'


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*



Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'

The headline read 'Missing'.

An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.



The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.

The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.

He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.

"Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.

Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.

"It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.

Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.

"You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."

The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.

The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."

Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"

"I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.

"I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"

Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.

"No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.

"I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.

"Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


Well done


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


And the plot thickens….....................................


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


Henry is starting to strike me as not being too bright … go back to his official residence? I don't think so. Leave Luna there with all of his tools? What is he thinking?!?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


Maybe she will build a nice knick knack shelf, while he is gone?


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


Nice job on the cauls! I think Henry is going to need a bigger project to keep his mind off his troubles!


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


by the time henry gets home ,

luna will probably have curtains up ,

and a long ' honey do ' list !


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


Hey Brian, thanks for the color pics of the cauls. They look great. I can't help but wonder if you have enough bolt length to get more than a couple of sheets of paper in between them. Am I missing something?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


The bolts that are in the picture will allow up to 1.5 inches, and I have another set of bolts which are longer. I will just swap out the bolts when, if I am working with thicker than 6/4 lumber.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


Cool, do you happen to have a picture of how the bolts connect to the cross pieces that you could share?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


I will take some photos tomorrow. I am about to go to bed.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: Tommy 'The Knife'*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry took a couple of pictures of the cauls. He told Luna that he needed to head into his office and made her promise not to leave the house. She said she would read a book. Henry took the paper with him, he turned on the shower, and only then did he read the 'Big News'
> 
> The headline read 'Missing'.
> 
> An accountant with the prominent Manhattan law firm of Smith, Havershome and Blickstein is missing, and the Police commissioner Jonathan O'Rourke has indicated that the entire department is scouring the city. Mr. Alexander is wanted in connection with the racketeering and money laundering case against famous mobster Tommy 'The Knife'. He has crucial evidence in the case and the commissioner has asked the entire community to be on the lookout for the missing accountant.
> 
> 
> 
> The article went on to provide a bunch of conjecture regarding the case, most of which wasn't at all accurate, but did fill out a fairly thin story. At least now, Henry knew which mobster was after Mr. Alexander. Tommy 'The Knife' was a ruthless thug who preferred to use a barber's straight edge to a gun. He had risen up through the ranks by collecting for the most powerful loan shark in the city and now ran a veritable army, made up of the dregs of society. Henry took a shower and shaved. He told Luna that he was off to the office and made her promise to stay inside, again. She did.
> 
> The snow had ceased to fall. The streets were wet, but traffic was light, as most had taken off work and stayed home. The drive was easy and Henry's thoughts turned to the case. What could be the next clue? He thought about the journal. He needed to get it to the DA, but first he wanted to go to the office and see if anyone had been around to see him. He also wanted to go meet Miss Culberson, as it appears the Journal doesn't have anything to do with her father, and he wanted to find out who put her up to hiring him.
> Henry parked his car in the alley down the street from his building. He rounded the corner and immediately saw the crowd gathered around the front of the charred building that used to hold his office. He didn't stop to ask what had happened. He knew the answer. He went to his apartment, which was only 5 blocks away. He kept the apartment in the city as his official residence. Henry made sure that he spent at least one night a week in the place, just to keep up appearances.
> 
> He was careful. He used the back entrance. There wasn't anyone around. The back stairs were empty, but Henry was extra careful. He listened for anything out of the ordinary. It was quiet, except for the baby crying in 5B. When he stepped onto the landing he didn't see anyone. Henry pressed his ear carefully against the door and again he heard nothing, not so much as a mouse in the house. It turned out that there weren't any mice, only rats. He opened the door and walked in. The door closed behind him.
> 
> "Mr. Wood, you owe me two tires." came from the man sitting in his comfy chair.
> 
> Before Henry could come up with a clever response, the man to his right, welcomed him with a sock to the gut.
> 
> "It seems youz been sticking your nose where it don't belong, Mr. Wood." said the man in the chair.
> 
> Henry was about to say answer, when he got another greeting to the midsection.
> 
> "You tell your buddy Big Mike that he messed with the wrong guy. If he wants a war then we will give him one."
> 
> The thug behind Henry brought something down on the back of Henry's head and he dropped to the floor.
> 
> The knocking at the door caused Henry to come to. He moaned and said, "Come in."
> 
> Big Mike walked in as Henry was trying to sit up. He looked around the apartment. "They tossed your place pretty good, eh buddy?"
> 
> "I was thinking of having a decorator in anyway." Henry said.
> 
> "I told you that they were some bad guys." said Mike, while helping his friend to his feet, and continued, "Maybe you best tell your buddy what you have been up to?"
> 
> Henry and Mike turned the kitchen table back upright and got a couple of chairs. He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the counter and two glasses. "Was there anybody hurt in the fire?" Henry asked.
> 
> "No, it must have started around 3 am; we don't know the cause yet. You think it was your new friends?" Mike asked.
> 
> "I don't believe in coincidences." Henry threw back the shot.
> 
> "Now what have you found out, that has gotten Tommy's people on your back?" Mike asked as he poured Henry another one. Henry filled in Mike on the details, including the message they left for him. Mike promised to look into Miss Culberson for Henry. Henry told Mike about the journal and explained that he had it hidden and that they needed to get it to the DA. They each had another shot and sat without saying a word.


I'm sorry Henry is not having a good day, but I did like your cauls Brian. I haven't seen that type before, but the idea is very good and I'm tempted to make some like that myself. Thanks for posting.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Creating the Cauls*



In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.

As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.



Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.



So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.



I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.

The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.

So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.

The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)

Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.



The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.

When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


great tutorial , brian .

now you are on your way ,
to having your own hardware store too !

practicing as you go is a good concept ,
it leads to good work ethics ,
and focused work habits .
something that will pay dividends all along the journey !

well done !


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Great narrative and pictures, with only one major error-to a woodworker, there is no such thing as buying "extra" wood, no matter how much you purchase!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


LOL…Good to know Kacy. Thanks for the tip.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Very nice cauls Brian. Thanks for the breakdown. Your attention to the small details show and your shop projects do have a beauty to them. Adding to my favorites to come back to.

A few years ago, there was a book published entitled Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. After dealing with a number of system meltdowns because someone overlooked some small detail or another, I used to fantasize about the ways I would torture the author if I could ever get a hold of him. The sanding, the careful saw work, and the attention to those tiny details will make you an excellent craftsman.

Thanks for posting,

David


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Heck, I've got over 300 BF stickered in my bedroom (did I mention I have a great wife), and still I am looking at getting some more. No idea what I am going to do with some of it, but if I don't rescue it, who will? lol


----------



## Gpops

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Double nut on one end and a piece of threaded rod will solve the threads all the way to the end problem…


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


That is a great idea Gpops!


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Great looking cauls. So good that they beg another project. A nice wax paper dispenser to keep near by. Surely we don't want to get glue squeeze out on our cauls, so we will put wax paper on the glue up to protect them.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Brian, a few observations. purely my own feelings of course. Always buy extra nuts, bolts, washers etc. You can't drive back to the store for the cost of another nut or washer.threaded rod is good, then you need to have more nuts and washers. I like to put the nuts and washers onto the bolts and have designated place, marked by size of course.You can by bolts that are threaded full length but they are pricey and I've not seen carriage bolts fully threaded, but,a small, modestly priced, (cheap) tap and die set will usually allow you to cut a few more threads fairly easily. Its also usefully to clean up damaged threads. Personally I hate slotted screws and just discovered today that some sizes of Philips flat head screws are available. Normally I prefer square drive which is available as wood screws. If you go to McFeely you will find these in just about and size that you are apt to use in the shop


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Oluf, that is an excellent point about the wax paper. Thanks!

rtb, I think you are right, I need to make some sort of box system for holding all the nuts and bolts. It is on my list.


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Hey Brian
A project a really good thing. a unique project that should be great for use in the future.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


HI Brian, you've done an excellent job of describing this build in an informative, thrilling manner. I was on the edge of my seat the whole way calculating the inches in the 7' maple to make sure there was enough for the eight 36" pieces and putting together the 1 51/2" bolt with the next days purchase and your previous comment about having two sets of bolts. Good save by the way. But, the part that had me about to come unglued (woodworking lingo there) was when I realized you were going after a perfect cut on the 12" maple to make the 4 3" blocks to hold the carriage bolts after already discarding the plans and reducing the length by over 14%. Did he realize there is thickness to a saw blade and the kerf would eat up some of the length? Did he compensate when he laid out the Forstner holes? Then, alas, all my worry was for naught because it probably wasn't exactly 12" was it? Probably an offcut from one of the 7' boards so there was more than 12" to start with. Whew! That was close. The only thing left is the dénouement about flattening one of the caul bottoms. What did you use for the straight edge and how did you line it up and make a router cut on such a thin piece of stock? Can't wait for the sequel about your first glue up too. ;-)

Best,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


The kerf on the Japanese hand saw is very thin, so yes, each one is slightly less than 3 inches. The piece was almost exactly 12 inches, and was from the left over.

To do the routing, I layed all 4 pairs of caul tops and bottoms on their side, with the one that needed trimming in the front. I then clamped the 4 sets together. Then I clamped this group to my workbench. This gave me plenty of room to set my router on, so it was stable.

I intended to take about 1/32 of an inch off of one of the pieces of maple making up the caul bottom. The router flush trim bit's bearing rested on the piece that was the guide, and then the bit evened the two pieces up. Because of the clamps the final 3 inches needed to be flattened with my 3" belt sander.

I hope that explains it better.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


A a very good tutorial blog Brian. I haven't seen that style of cauls before, but I do think they are a very good idea and I'm sure you'll get a lot of use out of them. As a new woodworker I know you are concerned with following plans and dimensions carefully right now, and that is not a bad thing, but in time you will realize that it is the concepts that are important and being flexible with dimensions will often allow you to make things with the materials you have on hand instead of feeling you must go out to buy the exact hardware and/or wood needed according to the plan.


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Thanks for the reference on the cauls, Brian. These look pretty good. I haven't been real pleased with mine so I may have to try these.

And you put together a well documented tutorial.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


Hi again Brian. Sorry to dig up an old post but I thought you might be interested to know that thanks to you and your cauls, I put some together myself. It was a lot of work too. You made it look easy. I used scrap wood that was thicker than the 3/4" 1×2 you used. That meant my drill bit wasn't long enough to go all the way through two pieces and the spacer which meant they had to be jointed and planed after screw up (like glue up but with screws). The orange box store didn't have 5 1/2" carriage bolts either so I got the threaded rod and extra nuts. Still can't figure out how to make them lock down on the end of the rod so maybe I'll glue them or something. Anyway, I think my boxes will now have more better glued up lids and I wanted to take a minute to thank you for the inspiration.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Cauls*
> 
> 
> 
> In Vol 28, No. 164, on page 6 of Woodsmith magazine is the article which describes the Adjustable Panels Cauls. It was sent in by George Johnson of Canton Oklahoma. They give the dimensions and I followed them somewhat closely. I visited my local Home Depot to buy the goodies I would need to make my cauls. I purchased (4) seven feet long, 1×2, in hard maple. I like hard maple. I also purchased (4) 36 inches long ½ x 3 inch pieces of Oak. I only needed one piece of the oak, but I wanted the other pieces for another project. So only buy 1 if you don't want extra, and to be honest, I didn't use the entire one piece either, I only used 18 inches.
> 
> As for the hardware, I came very close to making a tightening handle blunder, when I nearly bought a handle with the male threaded rod attached. This would have been a mistake. The handles need to be female which allow the threaded part of the 5/16th carriage bolt to pass through. Which brings me to the quantities of stuff I needed, the plans required 4 handles, 4 washers (I bought 8 to allow for losing a few), (24) #8, 1 ¾ "flat head screws (I bought a box). I also bought a box of 1 1/4" flat head screw, because I didn't believe the instructions. The 1 ¾ looked way too long. They were not too long and actually worked wonderfully.
> 
> 
> 
> Being new to woodworking, I lack confidence, so I bought extra stuff, which I didn't need. I then reinforced my fears when I purchased (3) 5" 5/16" carriage bolts and (1) 5 ½" carriage bolt. I blindly trusted the little bin that told me I was buying 5 inch, and it was very sneaky in giving me a 5 ½ bolt. I fixed the problem by buying (3) 5 ½" and (1) 5" the next day. So I have an extra set that will allow for thicker boards to be in my glue up. In the photos I used the 5 ½ inch bolt. I may buy some longer ones too. The reason one can't just buy really long bolts is that the threads don't go all the way down the bolt. If I had bought a 7 inch, I wouldn't have been able to tighten them all the way down.
> 
> 
> 
> So here is how I built my cauls. I cut (8) 36" pieces of hard maple, using my Japanese hand saw. I was amazed at how quickly it cut through each piece, and how beautiful the cuts turned out. It was definitely the right tool for the job.
> 
> 
> 
> I like sanding. I have read that many woodworkers don't like sanding their projects. It is considered drudgery. I took 2 pieces and clamped them into my vice and sanded the top to a nice rounded edge on the outside edges on the top side of the two pieces. My reasoning was, it was a waste of time to sand the inside edges, so I didn't. I also didn't sand the bottom edges, because I wanted them to remain flat. So I sanded up each pair. I used 80, 120, 220 grit paper and my mouse sander.
> 
> The next step was to cut off 1 ½"blocks from the piece of oak. My Japanese hand saw handled this task as well. The blocks are used as spacers between the pieces of hard maple. There are 3 spacers per caul piece (top and bottom) and created the gap that allows the carriage bolts to be threaded up through the top and bottom. It means that one is able to move the clamping handles in to the edges of the wood when clamping, to apply the most pressure onto the wood being glued up.
> 
> So with 12 pieces of oak cut, I stacked them together and sanded the tops, rounding the edges. This was done for aesthetics.
> 
> The next step was to screw everything together. I placed a spacer in the middle, at 18 inches and one on each end, set in 1 ½ inches from the edge. I have no idea why they weren't all the way out to the edge, but in the article, that is how George Johnson did it, and it looked good to me. I then flipped the pieces of wood upside down, with the rounded edges on the table, and placed my oak spacers in the correct positions. Next I clamped everything together, before drilling pilot holes. I then used a countersink bit to drill out a bit of space for the flat head screws to set into the wood. To make my life easier I got out both of my cordless drills, using one as a dedicated pilot holes driller and the other for the countersinking and the screwing in of the flat head screws. ( I am not sure all of the verbs in the last sentence really exist, but I digress)
> 
> Once all of this was done, I just needed to cut some blocks to hold the carriage bolts. The instructions called for 3 ½ inch blocks, but I had a lovely piece of hard maple that was 12 inches long, so I went with 3 inches for each block. Yes it was a daring move, but I am not afraid to live life on the edge. I sanded the 12 inch block before I made the cuts. I also drilled the holes, first with a Fostner bit, then with a regular bit. This meant that after I cut them into their 3 inch lengths, they were ready to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The last step was to check the flatness of the bottoms of each caul section. I had focused on making sure that the tops were flat, because I intended to flatten any that needed it, using my router. There was only one that needed flattening, so I used my 2 inch flush trim bit. It is a really nice bit, made by Amana. I spent $128.00 on this bit. That seems like a lot, but I have already used it a bunch of times. And it cuts like a hot knife through brie.
> 
> When I finally assembled the cauls, they looked even better than I had hoped. Now I just need to find a project that requires a glue up.


You are quite welcome. I love how clever you were to adjust the designs to suit your needs.


----------



## Ecocandle

*To Build or Not To Build*



A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.

In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.

I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.

I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.



So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.



On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


we will get used to your shame ,
just keep up the good work .
most of us have never done what you are doing ,
or even heard of martelle .
but you are putting it on the map ,
which will help many people looking for gas in iowa .

your approach to woodworking is refreshing ,
you will surely go far ,
at least to the wheatfields i'm sure (LOL) !

thanks brian ,
this is fun .
enjoy the build !


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Progress a good thing.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Patron,

I appreciate the support. (Note: Iowa is all beans and corn, we don't have much wheat.)

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


I look forward to learning of the escapades that are sure to ensue from building a router table! Don't forget about the electricity (for the laser beams, et. al.)!

Bravo
Bill from Indiana


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Hey, anybody with cauls enough to attack a 2×4 with a 50 grit belt sander has my respect.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


LOL…Two Points for OutPutter!!!


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


I nearly choked when I read that first paragraph, as it described by thought process perfectly a few years ago when I built my portable table!

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/27959


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Kacy,

That is a great looking router table. What kind of hinges did you use? I am considering hinges, the top will be pretty heavy.

Of course, I am interested in anybody's opinion about hinges.

Brian


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Brian: Full length piano hinge across the back. Solid as a rock.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Piano hinge eh? I have never heard of such a beast. I am going to ask The Google.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


You can usually get them at any hardware or big box store in various widths … its just a continuous hinge that you either buy to length or bigger and cut off the excess. Screws every inch or two make for a very solid and stable connection.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Piano Hinge it is then. I like it.


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Invest in a *transfer punch set* it contains various sized punches to mark the center points of the holes you need o drill in your plate after you have it centered on the plate hole. http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=54892&cat=1,43456
And you will need to make sure the router is centered in the hole a centering device, "dowel", usually comes with a router, at least the several routers I own did. You can put the "dowel" in the router chuck too center it and the plates I have came with inserts that will let you find center.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


John,

I may have some punches. That is a good idea. I like the dowel idea too.

Brian


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Brian,

Make sure you look at the picture that is brought up when you look at the set, pix comes up when you click on the little *view* icon down by the price on the page.

And to better understand what the "dowel", *Center-Finding Pin*, I'm talking about above it's shown in this link. 
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32316&cat=1,180,42311,42321

John

PS - What's our detective up to?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


John,

Oh I don't think I have one of those. I may just order it. Henry couldn't make it into work the last couple of days. He called in snowy.

Brian


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Good luck with the build Brian. A good router table is a real asset and can be a multi function work center. One thing you might think about before you start cutting materials is; what else could this router table potentially do? I'm thinking about functioning as an outfeed table for an eventual tablesaw (are tablesaw heights standard? and how high if on wheels?), auxillary work bench and/or assembly table, mount for other tools such as saber saw, drill with drum sanders, and of course the need for mobility.


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


This is going to be an interesting project to follow, Brian. I am sure you are going to have fun doing it and following your progress will be both enlightening and enjoyable to read.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Brian,
I have an older Veritas router table system and I have never pierced its beautiful skin with a drill. 
By the time a good sized router is attached, its heavy enough to stay right where it belongs, in the .125" depress.
You're going to love your router table.
I built mine into the far right extension of my tablesaw, so I can use the Beisemyer fence for both functions.
Carry on, Sir!
Cheerio!
d
ps, I just asked the Google to show me Martelle.
Quaint.
Next to the mighty Route 1 at the intersection of Martelle Road.
Handy to Cedar Rapids and not too far from the Metropolis of Chicago.
I have a sister in Keokuk.
Sorry, that wasn't a hairball, just me trying to say that name.
d


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


stefang,

I don't know if table saws heights are standard, but I am making it the same height as my workbench. I considered a design where I had a number of other functionalities built in, but I decided to save those ideas for another day. I may build a specialty bench to incorporate my other ideas.

Don,

Martelle is quaint, and yes, Keokuk is funny to say.

Brian


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *To Build or Not To Build*
> 
> 
> 
> A while back I talked about my desire to buy or build a router table. Today I have decided. I will build. It will be glorious. The factors that influenced my decision were many; quality, precision, flatness of the table, and to some extent cost. When I weighed all the factors the scales were greatly tilted in favor of buying either the Incra super system or the Veritas system. I choose to build, because I wanted to.
> 
> In a day or two, the router plate I ordered will arrive. This will cause much stress and fear, as I will likely need to drill some holes into it. It is possible that I will devote twenty to thirty hours measuring and remeasuring the placement of the holes, before I break down and call in someone from NASA. Since I don't have a drill press or know what type of bit to use, I calculate my chances for a cataclysmic failure to be at about 84%.
> I began work on the stretchers. They are made from 2×4s. I have designed the table to have the same table top dimensions as the Kreg table, 24×32. When I say designed, I am using that term loosely, as I am actually just modifying the plans I used to build my work bench. Those plans were designed by the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, Asa Christiana. My plans simply call for different dimensions, a set of freaking laser beams, and a Gatlin gun. It is actually going to be a router/urban assault table.
> 
> I am setting each leg in from the edge by 3 inches. The legs will be made from 4×4s. This means that the side stretchers will be 11 inches and the front and back will be at 19 inches. So I bought (2) 8 foot 2×4s and (2) 4×4. I also purchased 10 feet of 1×6 oak. It was pretty and I wanted it. I may use it as part of a fence or as a mount for the gun.
> 
> I was all set to cut my 8 stretchers when it occurred to me, that I should sand first. The voice in my head, with a thick German accent, said I was being 'Stupid'. I didn't listen to my inner German voice and I went ahead and started to sand. While I was sanding, I noticed several things. The first was that sanding one long piece was easier than sanding 4 little pieces. The second was that I didn't need to clamp and unclamp everything so often. Now admittedly, I would have used bench cookies were I sanding 11 inch pieces, to do the four inch faces, but still, it seemed more efficient. The third aspect that I really liked was that I didn't have to change the sand paper as often. I started with 50 grit on the belt sander. I then changed to 80, 150, and 220 on the mouse sander. I went through this cycle with each of the 4 sides. Obviously there would have been 4 times more grit changes, had I sanded each piece individually.
> 
> 
> 
> So that was all I did today, with regards to my woodworking. I sanded a 2×4. Not very dramatic or sexy, I will admit, but that is today's report. I feel I have let my reading public down. I have brought great shame to myself, my family, my ancestors, my sister's cat, and several neighbors here in Martelle. I can live with that.
> 
> 
> 
> On an entirely different note, today has been a banner day for the readership of the old blog. It is interesting that the eastern sea board, completely shut down by snowmageden, has had a fair number of people turning to my article on creating the cauls. The normal readership, which does not count the several hundred wonderful people which read the blog on Lumberjocks, is around 100, with the largest contingent being the 12 people from St. Louis who started reading a week or two ago. As of the writing of tonight's rambling, the number of people who stopped by to check out the blog was 261, with 77.78% being new visits. I don't know how many of those will return to see this post, but to those that do, I say, Thanks a bunch. I hope the snow melts for you quickly. And to the 12 from St. Louis I ask, do you know Eric Liu?


Didn't want to post this now.


----------



## Ecocandle

*True Dat*



Progress is accepting what was once the goal, as common place, seeing the new goal as within reach.

-Aki Haruki, world renowned sharpening monk.

I am not afraid to reference a blog post from my first week! Nor am I afraid to strive for greater accuracy in my cuts. After sanding the 2×4s to within 2.54 centimeters of their life, I made my marks and cut four friendly nineteen inch pieces. Though I am much better at using my Japanese hand saw, I am no 'Aki Haruki', mostly because he doesn't exist, but if he did, he would be really good at making dead on perfect cuts.
When I checked to see if the angles were 90 degrees, they were pretty close. A month ago, that would have been fine. Instead I felt confident that I could do better.





I am sure that people with table saws are able to cut very accurate cuts, with perfect angles, and one day I too will have a table saw, but until then, I am going to get good results using the tools at hand. The most important tool, in my opinion and Hercule Poirot's, are the little grey cells. Here is how I accomplished greater accuracy and trued-up my stretchers.



First step, determine which of the four boards is the shortest.

Second step, clamp this shortest piece to the edge of my workbench, which has a lovely 90 degree corner and two straight edges. I made sure that the board lined up on the long edge. Next I checked the end of the board, sliding it up to the edge of the bench until one corner was flush, while the other corner hung over slightly. I wanted the corner, with the angle that was greater than 90 degrees, to be at the corner of the workbench. In a sense, the slope is heading away from the corner. The reason for this is that I felt it is easier to start with zero material to cut and then ease into the excess.



Third step, I not only wanted to clamp the board down, I wanted to establish a 'stop block' for the length. After I had two clamps holding the board down, I placed a third clamp, behind the board. This third clamp would establish the correct length for boards 2 - 4.

Fourth step is to set up the router. The router bit that I used is a 2 inch flush trim bit by Amana. It is a very nice bit. I put this bit into my Bosch 2 ¼ hp router.

Fifth step, route the edge.



After this I simply unclamped the board and flipped it over, there was very little excess that needed to be trimmed off the other end, apparently I had come rather close to getting that one right on. Of course, I didn't see any harm in making it slightly better, so I routed that end too.





I then repeated the steps with one change. I used one additional clamp and clamped the first board next to the other boards, just to provide a little extra support for the router base. When I finished all four, I checked the angles and they were great. The boards were also the same lengths.

One day I will have all the machines and tools that will render these steps obsolete. Until then, I am not going to let my lack of a table saw, band saw, or drill press, stop me from making fun stuff. I like fun stuff.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *True Dat*
> 
> 
> 
> Progress is accepting what was once the goal, as common place, seeing the new goal as within reach.
> 
> -Aki Haruki, world renowned sharpening monk.
> 
> I am not afraid to reference a blog post from my first week! Nor am I afraid to strive for greater accuracy in my cuts. After sanding the 2×4s to within 2.54 centimeters of their life, I made my marks and cut four friendly nineteen inch pieces. Though I am much better at using my Japanese hand saw, I am no 'Aki Haruki', mostly because he doesn't exist, but if he did, he would be really good at making dead on perfect cuts.
> When I checked to see if the angles were 90 degrees, they were pretty close. A month ago, that would have been fine. Instead I felt confident that I could do better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am sure that people with table saws are able to cut very accurate cuts, with perfect angles, and one day I too will have a table saw, but until then, I am going to get good results using the tools at hand. The most important tool, in my opinion and Hercule Poirot's, are the little grey cells. Here is how I accomplished greater accuracy and trued-up my stretchers.
> 
> 
> 
> First step, determine which of the four boards is the shortest.
> 
> Second step, clamp this shortest piece to the edge of my workbench, which has a lovely 90 degree corner and two straight edges. I made sure that the board lined up on the long edge. Next I checked the end of the board, sliding it up to the edge of the bench until one corner was flush, while the other corner hung over slightly. I wanted the corner, with the angle that was greater than 90 degrees, to be at the corner of the workbench. In a sense, the slope is heading away from the corner. The reason for this is that I felt it is easier to start with zero material to cut and then ease into the excess.
> 
> 
> 
> Third step, I not only wanted to clamp the board down, I wanted to establish a 'stop block' for the length. After I had two clamps holding the board down, I placed a third clamp, behind the board. This third clamp would establish the correct length for boards 2 - 4.
> 
> Fourth step is to set up the router. The router bit that I used is a 2 inch flush trim bit by Amana. It is a very nice bit. I put this bit into my Bosch 2 ¼ hp router.
> 
> Fifth step, route the edge.
> 
> 
> 
> After this I simply unclamped the board and flipped it over, there was very little excess that needed to be trimmed off the other end, apparently I had come rather close to getting that one right on. Of course, I didn't see any harm in making it slightly better, so I routed that end too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then repeated the steps with one change. I used one additional clamp and clamped the first board next to the other boards, just to provide a little extra support for the router base. When I finished all four, I checked the angles and they were great. The boards were also the same lengths.
> 
> One day I will have all the machines and tools that will render these steps obsolete. Until then, I am not going to let my lack of a table saw, band saw, or drill press, stop me from making fun stuff. I like fun stuff.


HUMMMM


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *True Dat*
> 
> 
> 
> Progress is accepting what was once the goal, as common place, seeing the new goal as within reach.
> 
> -Aki Haruki, world renowned sharpening monk.
> 
> I am not afraid to reference a blog post from my first week! Nor am I afraid to strive for greater accuracy in my cuts. After sanding the 2×4s to within 2.54 centimeters of their life, I made my marks and cut four friendly nineteen inch pieces. Though I am much better at using my Japanese hand saw, I am no 'Aki Haruki', mostly because he doesn't exist, but if he did, he would be really good at making dead on perfect cuts.
> When I checked to see if the angles were 90 degrees, they were pretty close. A month ago, that would have been fine. Instead I felt confident that I could do better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am sure that people with table saws are able to cut very accurate cuts, with perfect angles, and one day I too will have a table saw, but until then, I am going to get good results using the tools at hand. The most important tool, in my opinion and Hercule Poirot's, are the little grey cells. Here is how I accomplished greater accuracy and trued-up my stretchers.
> 
> 
> 
> First step, determine which of the four boards is the shortest.
> 
> Second step, clamp this shortest piece to the edge of my workbench, which has a lovely 90 degree corner and two straight edges. I made sure that the board lined up on the long edge. Next I checked the end of the board, sliding it up to the edge of the bench until one corner was flush, while the other corner hung over slightly. I wanted the corner, with the angle that was greater than 90 degrees, to be at the corner of the workbench. In a sense, the slope is heading away from the corner. The reason for this is that I felt it is easier to start with zero material to cut and then ease into the excess.
> 
> 
> 
> Third step, I not only wanted to clamp the board down, I wanted to establish a 'stop block' for the length. After I had two clamps holding the board down, I placed a third clamp, behind the board. This third clamp would establish the correct length for boards 2 - 4.
> 
> Fourth step is to set up the router. The router bit that I used is a 2 inch flush trim bit by Amana. It is a very nice bit. I put this bit into my Bosch 2 ¼ hp router.
> 
> Fifth step, route the edge.
> 
> 
> 
> After this I simply unclamped the board and flipped it over, there was very little excess that needed to be trimmed off the other end, apparently I had come rather close to getting that one right on. Of course, I didn't see any harm in making it slightly better, so I routed that end too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then repeated the steps with one change. I used one additional clamp and clamped the first board next to the other boards, just to provide a little extra support for the router base. When I finished all four, I checked the angles and they were great. The boards were also the same lengths.
> 
> One day I will have all the machines and tools that will render these steps obsolete. Until then, I am not going to let my lack of a table saw, band saw, or drill press, stop me from making fun stuff. I like fun stuff.


Maybe you should do a Hercule Poirot after the Detective Wood case is solved there aren't any new Hercule Poirot shows showing up on our TV stations here. Of course you might want to add another Detective Wood case next as we are growing quite fond of him.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *True Dat*
> 
> 
> 
> Progress is accepting what was once the goal, as common place, seeing the new goal as within reach.
> 
> -Aki Haruki, world renowned sharpening monk.
> 
> I am not afraid to reference a blog post from my first week! Nor am I afraid to strive for greater accuracy in my cuts. After sanding the 2×4s to within 2.54 centimeters of their life, I made my marks and cut four friendly nineteen inch pieces. Though I am much better at using my Japanese hand saw, I am no 'Aki Haruki', mostly because he doesn't exist, but if he did, he would be really good at making dead on perfect cuts.
> When I checked to see if the angles were 90 degrees, they were pretty close. A month ago, that would have been fine. Instead I felt confident that I could do better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am sure that people with table saws are able to cut very accurate cuts, with perfect angles, and one day I too will have a table saw, but until then, I am going to get good results using the tools at hand. The most important tool, in my opinion and Hercule Poirot's, are the little grey cells. Here is how I accomplished greater accuracy and trued-up my stretchers.
> 
> 
> 
> First step, determine which of the four boards is the shortest.
> 
> Second step, clamp this shortest piece to the edge of my workbench, which has a lovely 90 degree corner and two straight edges. I made sure that the board lined up on the long edge. Next I checked the end of the board, sliding it up to the edge of the bench until one corner was flush, while the other corner hung over slightly. I wanted the corner, with the angle that was greater than 90 degrees, to be at the corner of the workbench. In a sense, the slope is heading away from the corner. The reason for this is that I felt it is easier to start with zero material to cut and then ease into the excess.
> 
> 
> 
> Third step, I not only wanted to clamp the board down, I wanted to establish a 'stop block' for the length. After I had two clamps holding the board down, I placed a third clamp, behind the board. This third clamp would establish the correct length for boards 2 - 4.
> 
> Fourth step is to set up the router. The router bit that I used is a 2 inch flush trim bit by Amana. It is a very nice bit. I put this bit into my Bosch 2 ¼ hp router.
> 
> Fifth step, route the edge.
> 
> 
> 
> After this I simply unclamped the board and flipped it over, there was very little excess that needed to be trimmed off the other end, apparently I had come rather close to getting that one right on. Of course, I didn't see any harm in making it slightly better, so I routed that end too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then repeated the steps with one change. I used one additional clamp and clamped the first board next to the other boards, just to provide a little extra support for the router base. When I finished all four, I checked the angles and they were great. The boards were also the same lengths.
> 
> One day I will have all the machines and tools that will render these steps obsolete. Until then, I am not going to let my lack of a table saw, band saw, or drill press, stop me from making fun stuff. I like fun stuff.


John,

I love Hercule Poirot, but alas, if I were to write a story about him, I would be infringing upon Agatha Christie's copyrights. I wouldn't do that. Now another Henry Wood saga, that might be possible. Of couse, I need to finish this one first. I will likely continue with Henry in a day or two, in case you were curious.

Brian


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *True Dat*
> 
> 
> 
> Progress is accepting what was once the goal, as common place, seeing the new goal as within reach.
> 
> -Aki Haruki, world renowned sharpening monk.
> 
> I am not afraid to reference a blog post from my first week! Nor am I afraid to strive for greater accuracy in my cuts. After sanding the 2×4s to within 2.54 centimeters of their life, I made my marks and cut four friendly nineteen inch pieces. Though I am much better at using my Japanese hand saw, I am no 'Aki Haruki', mostly because he doesn't exist, but if he did, he would be really good at making dead on perfect cuts.
> When I checked to see if the angles were 90 degrees, they were pretty close. A month ago, that would have been fine. Instead I felt confident that I could do better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am sure that people with table saws are able to cut very accurate cuts, with perfect angles, and one day I too will have a table saw, but until then, I am going to get good results using the tools at hand. The most important tool, in my opinion and Hercule Poirot's, are the little grey cells. Here is how I accomplished greater accuracy and trued-up my stretchers.
> 
> 
> 
> First step, determine which of the four boards is the shortest.
> 
> Second step, clamp this shortest piece to the edge of my workbench, which has a lovely 90 degree corner and two straight edges. I made sure that the board lined up on the long edge. Next I checked the end of the board, sliding it up to the edge of the bench until one corner was flush, while the other corner hung over slightly. I wanted the corner, with the angle that was greater than 90 degrees, to be at the corner of the workbench. In a sense, the slope is heading away from the corner. The reason for this is that I felt it is easier to start with zero material to cut and then ease into the excess.
> 
> 
> 
> Third step, I not only wanted to clamp the board down, I wanted to establish a 'stop block' for the length. After I had two clamps holding the board down, I placed a third clamp, behind the board. This third clamp would establish the correct length for boards 2 - 4.
> 
> Fourth step is to set up the router. The router bit that I used is a 2 inch flush trim bit by Amana. It is a very nice bit. I put this bit into my Bosch 2 ¼ hp router.
> 
> Fifth step, route the edge.
> 
> 
> 
> After this I simply unclamped the board and flipped it over, there was very little excess that needed to be trimmed off the other end, apparently I had come rather close to getting that one right on. Of course, I didn't see any harm in making it slightly better, so I routed that end too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then repeated the steps with one change. I used one additional clamp and clamped the first board next to the other boards, just to provide a little extra support for the router base. When I finished all four, I checked the angles and they were great. The boards were also the same lengths.
> 
> One day I will have all the machines and tools that will render these steps obsolete. Until then, I am not going to let my lack of a table saw, band saw, or drill press, stop me from making fun stuff. I like fun stuff.


good fix on the board ends ,

learning as much about hand tools and their drawbacks ,
is the basis of good woodworking ,
power tools just make things easier !

there is a simple test for your square ,
on the edge of a strait surface ,
( maybe your workbench ) ,
with a sharp pencil ,
make a mark on the edge of said surface.
with the blade of your square extended ,
align it to the mark ,
and mark at the end of the square .
flip the square over ,
and align with edge mark and mark other end of square .
if these to marks are exact ,
your square is true ,
if not , you will know how out of square it is , 
and can use it for rough work.
then get yourself a decent square for bench work .
most hand tools are mass produced , 
and errors occur there too .

you can do this at the store when you look thru them for a good one .
to buy a decent level ,
place it in the same place at the store ,
and flip it 4 times in the same place ,
and check if the bubbles are the same ,
even if they are off , 
if they are all off exactly the same ,
you got a good level .
and repeat for plumb against a post or shelf unit .


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *True Dat*
> 
> 
> 
> Progress is accepting what was once the goal, as common place, seeing the new goal as within reach.
> 
> -Aki Haruki, world renowned sharpening monk.
> 
> I am not afraid to reference a blog post from my first week! Nor am I afraid to strive for greater accuracy in my cuts. After sanding the 2×4s to within 2.54 centimeters of their life, I made my marks and cut four friendly nineteen inch pieces. Though I am much better at using my Japanese hand saw, I am no 'Aki Haruki', mostly because he doesn't exist, but if he did, he would be really good at making dead on perfect cuts.
> When I checked to see if the angles were 90 degrees, they were pretty close. A month ago, that would have been fine. Instead I felt confident that I could do better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am sure that people with table saws are able to cut very accurate cuts, with perfect angles, and one day I too will have a table saw, but until then, I am going to get good results using the tools at hand. The most important tool, in my opinion and Hercule Poirot's, are the little grey cells. Here is how I accomplished greater accuracy and trued-up my stretchers.
> 
> 
> 
> First step, determine which of the four boards is the shortest.
> 
> Second step, clamp this shortest piece to the edge of my workbench, which has a lovely 90 degree corner and two straight edges. I made sure that the board lined up on the long edge. Next I checked the end of the board, sliding it up to the edge of the bench until one corner was flush, while the other corner hung over slightly. I wanted the corner, with the angle that was greater than 90 degrees, to be at the corner of the workbench. In a sense, the slope is heading away from the corner. The reason for this is that I felt it is easier to start with zero material to cut and then ease into the excess.
> 
> 
> 
> Third step, I not only wanted to clamp the board down, I wanted to establish a 'stop block' for the length. After I had two clamps holding the board down, I placed a third clamp, behind the board. This third clamp would establish the correct length for boards 2 - 4.
> 
> Fourth step is to set up the router. The router bit that I used is a 2 inch flush trim bit by Amana. It is a very nice bit. I put this bit into my Bosch 2 ¼ hp router.
> 
> Fifth step, route the edge.
> 
> 
> 
> After this I simply unclamped the board and flipped it over, there was very little excess that needed to be trimmed off the other end, apparently I had come rather close to getting that one right on. Of course, I didn't see any harm in making it slightly better, so I routed that end too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then repeated the steps with one change. I used one additional clamp and clamped the first board next to the other boards, just to provide a little extra support for the router base. When I finished all four, I checked the angles and they were great. The boards were also the same lengths.
> 
> One day I will have all the machines and tools that will render these steps obsolete. Until then, I am not going to let my lack of a table saw, band saw, or drill press, stop me from making fun stuff. I like fun stuff.


David always has good advise .


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *True Dat*
> 
> 
> 
> Progress is accepting what was once the goal, as common place, seeing the new goal as within reach.
> 
> -Aki Haruki, world renowned sharpening monk.
> 
> I am not afraid to reference a blog post from my first week! Nor am I afraid to strive for greater accuracy in my cuts. After sanding the 2×4s to within 2.54 centimeters of their life, I made my marks and cut four friendly nineteen inch pieces. Though I am much better at using my Japanese hand saw, I am no 'Aki Haruki', mostly because he doesn't exist, but if he did, he would be really good at making dead on perfect cuts.
> When I checked to see if the angles were 90 degrees, they were pretty close. A month ago, that would have been fine. Instead I felt confident that I could do better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am sure that people with table saws are able to cut very accurate cuts, with perfect angles, and one day I too will have a table saw, but until then, I am going to get good results using the tools at hand. The most important tool, in my opinion and Hercule Poirot's, are the little grey cells. Here is how I accomplished greater accuracy and trued-up my stretchers.
> 
> 
> 
> First step, determine which of the four boards is the shortest.
> 
> Second step, clamp this shortest piece to the edge of my workbench, which has a lovely 90 degree corner and two straight edges. I made sure that the board lined up on the long edge. Next I checked the end of the board, sliding it up to the edge of the bench until one corner was flush, while the other corner hung over slightly. I wanted the corner, with the angle that was greater than 90 degrees, to be at the corner of the workbench. In a sense, the slope is heading away from the corner. The reason for this is that I felt it is easier to start with zero material to cut and then ease into the excess.
> 
> 
> 
> Third step, I not only wanted to clamp the board down, I wanted to establish a 'stop block' for the length. After I had two clamps holding the board down, I placed a third clamp, behind the board. This third clamp would establish the correct length for boards 2 - 4.
> 
> Fourth step is to set up the router. The router bit that I used is a 2 inch flush trim bit by Amana. It is a very nice bit. I put this bit into my Bosch 2 ¼ hp router.
> 
> Fifth step, route the edge.
> 
> 
> 
> After this I simply unclamped the board and flipped it over, there was very little excess that needed to be trimmed off the other end, apparently I had come rather close to getting that one right on. Of course, I didn't see any harm in making it slightly better, so I routed that end too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then repeated the steps with one change. I used one additional clamp and clamped the first board next to the other boards, just to provide a little extra support for the router base. When I finished all four, I checked the angles and they were great. The boards were also the same lengths.
> 
> One day I will have all the machines and tools that will render these steps obsolete. Until then, I am not going to let my lack of a table saw, band saw, or drill press, stop me from making fun stuff. I like fun stuff.


Off to a good start Brian!


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *True Dat*
> 
> 
> 
> Progress is accepting what was once the goal, as common place, seeing the new goal as within reach.
> 
> -Aki Haruki, world renowned sharpening monk.
> 
> I am not afraid to reference a blog post from my first week! Nor am I afraid to strive for greater accuracy in my cuts. After sanding the 2×4s to within 2.54 centimeters of their life, I made my marks and cut four friendly nineteen inch pieces. Though I am much better at using my Japanese hand saw, I am no 'Aki Haruki', mostly because he doesn't exist, but if he did, he would be really good at making dead on perfect cuts.
> When I checked to see if the angles were 90 degrees, they were pretty close. A month ago, that would have been fine. Instead I felt confident that I could do better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am sure that people with table saws are able to cut very accurate cuts, with perfect angles, and one day I too will have a table saw, but until then, I am going to get good results using the tools at hand. The most important tool, in my opinion and Hercule Poirot's, are the little grey cells. Here is how I accomplished greater accuracy and trued-up my stretchers.
> 
> 
> 
> First step, determine which of the four boards is the shortest.
> 
> Second step, clamp this shortest piece to the edge of my workbench, which has a lovely 90 degree corner and two straight edges. I made sure that the board lined up on the long edge. Next I checked the end of the board, sliding it up to the edge of the bench until one corner was flush, while the other corner hung over slightly. I wanted the corner, with the angle that was greater than 90 degrees, to be at the corner of the workbench. In a sense, the slope is heading away from the corner. The reason for this is that I felt it is easier to start with zero material to cut and then ease into the excess.
> 
> 
> 
> Third step, I not only wanted to clamp the board down, I wanted to establish a 'stop block' for the length. After I had two clamps holding the board down, I placed a third clamp, behind the board. This third clamp would establish the correct length for boards 2 - 4.
> 
> Fourth step is to set up the router. The router bit that I used is a 2 inch flush trim bit by Amana. It is a very nice bit. I put this bit into my Bosch 2 ¼ hp router.
> 
> Fifth step, route the edge.
> 
> 
> 
> After this I simply unclamped the board and flipped it over, there was very little excess that needed to be trimmed off the other end, apparently I had come rather close to getting that one right on. Of course, I didn't see any harm in making it slightly better, so I routed that end too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then repeated the steps with one change. I used one additional clamp and clamped the first board next to the other boards, just to provide a little extra support for the router base. When I finished all four, I checked the angles and they were great. The boards were also the same lengths.
> 
> One day I will have all the machines and tools that will render these steps obsolete. Until then, I am not going to let my lack of a table saw, band saw, or drill press, stop me from making fun stuff. I like fun stuff.


Great advice David! One other thing I would mention is that I've found most hand sawing to be easier by using a bench hook for the kind of work you've shown us here. You probably are familiar with them, but if not you might search FWW's for some insight. I made mine so that I can use it one way for a regular saw where cutting is done with the push stroke or with my Japanese saws on the pull stroke. This has improved my cutting accuracy a lot. I also have an accessory to my bench hook that keeps the work pieces level while cutting.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Amazing Customer Service*



Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.

A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.

Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.

I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.

My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.







To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.



The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


Progress!


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


And the beat goes on….................................................................


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


I'm bewildered, confused, dazed … and that was even before I discovered that my wife had put the SI swimsuit issue on my desk. Maybe you can help … what is the threaded rod for, and why does it need to be so neatly cosseted in the dados? (cosseted is one of my most favorite words-next to dado, of course)


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


that cut would be so much easier ,

if you had a router table (LOL) !

your tenacity is refreshing ,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


Kacy,

The threaded rod runs through the 4×4 leg. There will also be a dowel peg in the end to hold the stretcher up. Hopefully it will make more sense as I progress.

Patron,

I was thinking that exact thing!!!

Brian


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


Nice job on the routing Brian. It set me to comparing how my first routing work came out, but we don't really want to talk about that, ha ha. Fun to watch the build, and I'm sure with your methodical approach it will turn out very well. I won't be in the shop for awhile, so it is especially enjoyable for me right now to see others carrying out their projects.


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


This looks good, Brian. And I really enjoy hearing customer service stories such as you experienced.


----------



## richgreer

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


I am a regular customer of the same Acme store and I have always been very pleased with their customer service.

As an FYI - It was only about a year ago that they started marketing to the woodworker. Their core business was (and still is) tools for the construction industry. They didn't embrace woodworking until the Fine Woodworking Store across the street closed a little over a year ago. We woodworkers are a fussier breed, we ask more questions and we are slower to make decisions. Nonetheless, Acme has done a good job adjusting to the nature of woodworkers.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


It appears that you are getting where you are going.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Amazing Customer Service*
> 
> 
> 
> Today I received a call from Dale at ACME Tools in Cedar Rapids.
> 
> A couple of weeks ago I asked if they had any router plates. Dale said that they were out but there were some that were supposed to be arriving any day. He checked the computer, and the order was a couple of days past due. I find the people at ACME tools to be helpful and they are very patient with my lack of knowledge. The next two times I walked in, Dale saw me and said that the Rosseau plate wasn't in yet. I didn't even have to ask, he just remembered.
> 
> Yesterday my Rousseau router plate arrived from Amazon. I had finally decided on Monday that I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted to give ACME the sale, but I was ready to get going on my table. So when Dale called today, I had to tell him that I had just received one. Not only was he nice about it, he proceeded to give me all sorts of tips about how to install it. After a few minutes, when it became apparent that I wasn't following everything, he said, "I won't be here tomorrow, but tell you what; I will draw a diagram and put it under my register." About 15 minutes later he called back and told me that he was ok at drawing but his written explanation wasn't quite so clear, so he set up a little display behind the counter to show me how.
> 
> I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. I love ACME tools and this is just one of the examples of how great they are to their customers. And today I wasn't even a customer; I had bought it from Amazon! If you have an ACME tools nearby or perhaps one day you will pass one, please take a moment and drop in, I am sure that they will be as friendly as the Cedar Rapids ACME Tools.
> 
> My Rousseau Model 3509 router plate is quite cool. I am eager to get to the point where I get to install it. Today was not the day however. Today I needed to route dados for the 3/8th inch threaded rod. As part of my extensive collection of three router bits, there is a Freud 75-106 3/8th Up Spiral Bit, which has yet to taste wood. I love my Freud circular saw blade and was excited to see how this bit handled the task at hand. When I cut the dados in my workbench, the Amana bit cut wonderfully, but being a down spiral, I could tell it wasn't the right bit for the job. It pleases me to report that the Freud bit is magical in its cutting prowess. The first pass was approximately 1/8th an inch, as a test. The Freud cut like a hot samurai sword through a pile of Jell-O with tiny bits of fruit in it. The up spiral created lovely shavings and pulled them out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To cut the dados on the edges of the eleven inch 2×4s I rigged up a setup using the stretchers and part of the dado jig. The first step was to take one of the guides off the jig and clamp it to the stretchers. The first two boards went fine. The third didn't go so well. I wasn't quite careful enough with the clamping and the board got pulled away from the guide. I have included a picture to show what happened. Another cut was made, and though it doesn't look pretty, it will work just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> The longer stretchers require the dado be on the face of the board, so I carefully marked each stretcher. The stretchers were clamped to the twins, Teri and Tracy, who are my saw horses, if you are new to the blog. This setup worked really well and the cuts went without incident. So now the next step is to cut and sand the 4×4s. I don't know how the router table will look or work when I am done, but I can say the stretchers are much better than the ones I did for the workbench. So I am happy. Ok, I am off to watch the rest of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.


keep them coming I just love to read your blogs history or no history
and the way you let´s us know how you do work with your project´s
and show it in a (as mr Bertelson says  ) picturebook for us 
I just love them when it´s abaut explaining some tecnickal stoff
and as photo-man you now a picture says more than thausend word´s
and your sawbuks looks great when they are employd

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*



Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."

Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."

They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.

The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"

"Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"

The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"

Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."

"It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.

The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.

Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."

"You ok Francis?" Henry asked.

"Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."

The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."

Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."

Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.

Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.



He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


good for luna ,
and her cookies .

this way he didn't have to bite the brass bits ,
to see if they were really gold .


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


Looks like Henry is having a rough day - at least he got cookies! (maybe the closet will send him Rockler cookies)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


Sras…that is a good idea! I hadn't thought about that.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


You know, I bought a set of those router thingies too. That's when I found out the Triton router doesn't come with a "standard" opening. I take them out every once in a while and wonder what I was going to do with them before I decide not to sell them on Craig's List and put them back away. I hope you enjoy yours too. I hope Henry doesn't slip too deep into the black and white world of despair over his loss. Hot cookies beat bench cookies any day in my book.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


Outputter,

I have read several project articles that required the templates. I think they are quite handy to have, and I was considering buying them before I had decided to build my own router table. I will try to make sure I do a project with them, after the router table. Just for you.

Brian


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


You might keep in mind Brian that you can also use these template guides with the router table. I'm thinking of box joint, dovetail and spline joints. They guide and provide stops for the jigs at the same time so that you needn't have a separate guide and stops clamped to your router table.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


Its becoming obvious that our hero has had a successful business how come no associates even part time. If hes going to do all the thinking and questioning seems like he must have some usable associates to start doing the multiable. Sort of like Nero Wolfes day help.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


Sam Spade had a partner, of course, he died before we got to meet him, but your point is a good one.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


great another dark day saved with cookies
they just melt on the tung and slip down to the stomac
I just love cookies 
thank´s for the remminder

Dennis


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


Brian, you must have read the books because we did get to meet Miles Archer, Spade's partner, in the Maltese Falcon. He was shot dead too.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Burnt Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Mike spoke up first. "Hey buddy, I am going to need you to look around your office." Shrugging he added, "or what's left of it."
> 
> Henry set the bottle by the sink and said, "Yeah, I suppose we should go, let's get to it."
> 
> They took Mikes squad car and pulled up behind the fire chief's vehicle. There were still a few gawkers, gawking outside. The third floor windows of Henry's office were broken out and the bricks were charred half way up the 4th floor. It looks like the firefighters were able to stop the blaze from engulfing the entire building.
> 
> The Chief gave a nod to Mike, "What brings you around Mike?"
> 
> "Hey Sparky, this is my pal Henry Wood." Mike said, and Henry said, "Hey"
> 
> The fire chief and big Mike had been friends for a long time. Big Mike had given him the nick name 'Sparky' when he had emerged from his first fire, as sparks and flames gushed out behind him. The building was lost, the nick name stuck. "Good to meet you Henry, what can I do for you?"
> 
> Mike looked up at the building, "That 3rd floor office was Henry's, we wanted to take a look."
> 
> "It looks like the fire started in a trash can. The French guy called it in." Sparky said, motioning for Henry and Mike to follow him. Henry saw Francis, standing across the street with the onlookers, talking to a short round man with a small notebook. They walked up to the third floor and the chief explained that the fire had been contained to the one office, but the smoke had made quite a mess of the neighboring offices, including Francis's.
> 
> The trudged down the hallway and the rancid smell of smoke and wet filled the air. The chief said, "Now be careful, and don't touch anything, we are still investigating." Henry looked down at the floor, the glass from his door was in a couple of pieces with a couple of letters missing, "Henry Wood Detec e Ag n y". He stepped over the glass, careful not disturb anything, and into the office. The filing cabinets were opened and had been badly burned. The desk was mostly gone, as was his trash can. It did look like the fire must have started in the trash can and it also looked as if the offices had been given the once over, though it wasn't turned upside down like his apartment. Henry looked around for another minute and walked out.
> 
> Henry and Mike left the Chief in the hallway, as he was talking to one of his men, and headed down to the street. Henry suggested they talk to Francis and see what he knew. He was still talking to the odd little man and when he saw Henry, said, "Henry it looks like we are going to have to move, my place is a mess too."
> 
> "You ok Francis?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Oui, I smelled the smoke and called the fired department and I got my butt outta there."
> 
> The little round man handed Henry a business card while saying, "I am Bobby Ward, and I am in the commercial real estate game, I have a place two blocks away, if you are interested. It is a great place and you could move in right away. I know you would love it." Henry took the card and said, "Thanks" hoping that would shut the little man up. It did not. "We could go now, I have the keys, we could go now and you could check it out. Lets go, come on Mr. Wood, I know you will love it."
> 
> Henry put the card in his pocket, "Now listen Bobby, we are a little busy right now, I have your card, now scram." With that Bobby tipped his hat and said as he scurried away, "I wrote the address of the building on the card, it is office 309, on the third floor, call me and we can see it anytime you like."
> 
> Henry, Mike and Francis talked for a while longer, and then parted company. Mike took Henry back to his car. He offered his couch to Henry, if he needed a place to stay. Henry declined, and said he would just get a room. He wanted to be alone. Henry assured Mike that the Journal was safe and that they could get it tomorrow. Mike promised Henry he wouldn't mention the journal to anyone, though he was a bit offended, when Mike suggested there was a mole in the police department.
> 
> Henry drove back to the house, taking a long and cautious route. When he got home, the smell of chocolate chip cookies filled his nose. It was the first good thing that had happened all day. Luna yelled from the kitchen, "Henry I did some baking, I hope you don't mind."
> 
> "Not at all, it smells wonderful. I will try one in a minute." He said, heading down to the basement. He went straight to the closet, hoping he might find something new. He opened the door and there was a little grey box, with the words Shop Fox on it. He opened it and there were 10 small brass bits of different sizes, two of them were marked 'locknut' while the other's had different dimensions on them. He wasn't sure exactly what they were for, but he guessed they had something to do with his router. He put the little box with his router and went upstairs.
> 
> 
> 
> He snuck into the bathroom to clean up a bit before he saw Luna. He didn't want her to fuss about his cuts and bruises. Despite his assurances that he was fine, she fussed anyway. He sat, eating a cookie, as she entered 'mothering' mode. He replayed the day in his mind and decided that the best thing he could do at that moment, was to eat another cookie.


I must be getting old. I didn't remember that we got to meet him, oh well, I stand corrected.


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Amazing Hand Saw*



The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.

Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.

The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.



I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.

So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


And it is a lot harder to slice your finger with a hand saw (not impossible, but a lot harder)!

Maybe napping should be an Olympic sport - I practiced today.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


you are realy getting gooder at this ,

when iowa runs out of lumber ,

you can fell trees with this saw ,

if you can find one (LOL) !

got any neighbors with trees

maybe you can talk luna into baking some cookies , 
to bribe them with ?


----------



## davidroberts

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


The Ryoba is very thin kerf and as sharp as a hot damn. Many times it's quicker to just pick up a hand tool than to set up a power tool. You have more control and less stress. BTW, your photography is really good.


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


Brian, I have to agree with David in that often it takes more time to get out our power tools than it would take to do a job by hand. This is a nice saw that does cut well. I use mine for all the hand cuts that I do.


----------



## richgreer

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


I agree with all those who comment on the merits of a good hand saw. However, I will also caution you that hand saws can be dangerous also. The biggest scar on my body came from a handsaw that slipped.


----------



## 8iowa

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


I've never drawn blood with any of my power tools, but just last week I got a nasty cut on the tip of my little finger with a hand plane - gotta keep those fingers off of the sole!

Scary sharp chisels can be dangerous too.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


I've got to second (or third) what Rich and 8iowa said. I have cut myself more than once on my Japanese double edged saws. I have an excuse though! It was caused by carelessness and a little stupidity. It wouldn't be difficult to cut off a finger with one of those if the wrong moves were made.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


You know, I'll wish I could re-write my comment. All who commented later were absolutely correct. The only time I have drawn blood on a tool was a hand tool. I was thinking more of the serious injury (losing digits or limbs) when I was thinking of power tool risk. Anyway, you have a nice saw Brian.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


I will be very careful with my hand tools.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


I usually inaugurate any new hand tool I receive with a sacrificial blood letting. Usually within 5 minutes of using it. Guess it's simply over enthusiasm…

You reminded me of the first time I ever cut a 4X4. It was daunting!


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


The saw obviously provided a very nice cut. Just curious, how many 4 by 4s can a saw like that be expected to cut before it feels like it needs to be resharpened (and is that a big deal)?

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Amazing Hand Saw*
> 
> 
> 
> The world is a dangerous place. The opposing ideas cause our species to fight and squabble about almost anything. Every so often, those differences seem to disappear, and we cheer for the triumph of the athlete.
> 
> Today I did some woodworking, but I also watched the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I cheered for the USA. I watched the medal count and felt overwhelming pride with each Bronze, Silver and Gold. But I also cheer at the joy. The pure happiness displayed at a life's dream achieved. Much has been made of Canada never winning gold at any of the Olympics held on their own soil. The added pressure was evident when with only one skier to go, the Canada's Jennifer Heil, leading women's mogul event, had her dream, and that of an entire country, dashed. The tears streaking down her chin were heartbreaking. Today, Alexander Bilodeau put on his skis, trying to do what Jennifer Heil had almost done. Alexander Bilodeau won the gold medal in the men's moguls' event, and a nation cheered. I cheered too.
> 
> The dedication that each man and woman displays, the desire for greatness, is so apparent, is so beautiful, that for a couple of weeks we are inspired to try harder. With this in mind, I rethought how I would cut the 4×4s. I had planned on firing up the Bosch circular saw, as I was sure that they must be too big for the Japanese hand saw. As I looked at the wood, it's mass, so much greater than the normal 1 inch boards I work with, I had a thought it must be too big. The Japanese don't use power tools, so they must cut their 4×4's by hand. It must be possible. But is it incredibly hard, will I screw up my router table legs? In the spirit of the great Olympians fighting it out in Vancouver, I decided to go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> I marked each leg, just as I would for the circular saw, and then clamped the first one in my vice. I started the cut and with a handful of careful strokes, got the blade heading through the 4×4 on a straight path. To my surprise, the saw easily made the cut. It went so quickly and was so straight that I had to stop and take a picture. The picture set up took longer than it took to cut both the legs. It should be noted that I can't fit an eight foot 4×4 in my car, so I have the man at the lumber yard cut off a bit. I always make sure to know exactly how long I want my pieces before I go, so that the first two legs are done for me. Cutting the legs was fun. When I was finished, they were all the same length.
> 
> So I learned that my Japanese hand saws are even more capable than I had previously thought. The next step is to get them sanded up. The rest of the afternoon was spent sanding, watching the Olympics, and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad day at all. I am still inspired.


I don't know at all. It was the first saw I purchased. I have used it a lot and there doesn't seem to be any drop off yet. I only spent $24.00 on it, so I will likely replace it, as opposed to sharpening it.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I Suck*



On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.

The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.



It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.

I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.

If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a 
cookie.

Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?

I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


----------



## GregD

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


My first major woodworking tool purchases were, in order, a table saw, a plunge router, and a drill press. I got what was at the time (15-ish years ago) the standard 16" floor standing Delta. A friend recently started getting into woodworking and my advice to get a drill press - any drill press - worked for him:
http://lumberjocks.com/mhawkins2/blog/6834
Much of the time I use the drill press to drill a straight hole through a scrap that I then use as a guide for my hand (electric) drill. With practice I have gotten better at drilling straight holes; sometimes I use a small block of wood with a straight corner to line up the bit. Still, I assume the hole will be off at least a bit if I don't use the drill press or a guide. More than once I've glued a dowel in a poorly oriented hole and tried again!


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


a small trick for the hand drill ,

get a small mirror ,
just the glass , 2"x4" or so ,
and lay it next to the drill bit ,
and looking down the bit ,
if it's not straight ( 90 DEG. , in all directions ) ,
you will see it bent . 
just like a hand saw .

as far as a drill press , 
most are reasonable ,
in the 4" range ,
unless you plan on doing machining .


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


I don't know what "reasonable in the 4" range" means.


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Befor you spend a bunch of cash on a drill press….try buying one of those bit centering kits that you use for doweling. You will spend 20 bucks and you can drill straight. It is basically a clamp with guiding bushings that wont allow the bit to go at an angle other than 90. Also is that treated wood? You probably don't want to be sanding/cutting/breathing treated wood.

take care


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


I don't think it is treated wood. I do wear a dust mask and have my Jet Air cleaner running at full blast, just to be safe. He asked if I wanted treated wood and I said no.


----------



## beckerswoodworks

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


The green color of the lumber really looks like pressure treated wood.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Maybe it is. I honestly don't know. I am not sure I really understand what pressure treated wood is. I thought it was just green, because it was 'green'. Wood still confuses me.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Here are a few ideas that might help you out Brian.

1. One way of keeping a drill bit relatively straight is to use a sacrificial drill guide. If you notch a scrap piece of wood and clamp it to the piece you are drilling, the crevice can help keep the drill bit straight enough until you have a deep enough hole that the hole itself will guide you. Please excuse the crappy photo, but wanted something quick to give you an idea.










2. There are 3rd party drill guides available in which you attach your drill and it will plunge into the workpiece and give you a relatively straight hole. Here is an example of such a guide.

3. What was already mentioned was a doweling jig. These are used to make dowel holes but also can be used as drill guides. They guide the drill bit and keep it from wavering. Example of such a device is here.

Options 1 and 2 you might want to become familiar with because there will be times when you will be drilling in something so large you will not be able to use the drill press, if you decide to purchase one.

I believe what David meant by the 4 inch range was the stroke of the drill press, or the drill depth it can handle. Benchtops usually have 2.5 -3.5 inch strokes. It varies. Stand alone drill presses have a much deeper stroke.

Hope this helps. And please keep one thing in mind. The reason why Jigs, attachments, precision tools exist is because most of us suck. If we didn't, there would not be a market. So if you see a jig out there, it is because so many people sucked that someone had to invent an easier way to do it.

David


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


David,

That was very helpful. Perhaps I should try some of those ideas out before I make a benchtop or stand alone decision.

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Brian, 
I have a couple "floor" Grizzly power tools and have had no problems with any of them so they come with my recommendation. They are the G0572 Hanging Air Filter w/Remote, G7944 drill press, G0452 6" jointer, and am seriously looking at a G0513 17" Bandsaw - 2 HP.
My Stepson Steve and I both purchased Grizzly G7944 drill presses almost 3 years ago and we both love 
them. http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Speed-Heavy-Duty-14-Floor-Drill-Press/G7944

If you are looking for a bench drill press the G7943 is the same press with a shorter main column. http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Speed-Heavy-Duty-Bench-Top-Drill-Press/G7943

Grizzly G7944 drill press
Specifications:
•Motor: 3/4 H.P., single-phase, 110V
•Overall height: 64" 
•Spindle travel: 3-1/4" 
•Number of speeds: 12
•Drill chuck: 1/8"-5/8" 
•Spindle taper: MT #2
•Range of speeds: 140, 260, 320, 380, 480, 540, 980, 1160, 1510, 1650, 2180, 3050 RPM
•Swing: 14" 
•Drilling capacity: 3/4" steel
•Table: Precision ground cast iron
•Table size: 11-3/8" sq.
•Table swing: 360°
•Table tilts: 90° in both directions
•Approx. shipping weight: 172 lbs.


----------



## beckerswoodworks

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Brian, pressure treated wood is wood that has been injected with chemical preservatives under pressure. It's great if you want to build a deck or something else for outside that'll take a long time to rot. Treated lumber is the only lumber I've ever seen that was that green other than some really expensive exotic stuff from South America.

I can't reccomend a good drill press because I don't have one myself. I do have one of the drill attachments that David mentioned and they actually work pretty good for what they cost. Definately don't buy a cheap desktop model drill press. I've got one from Porter Cable that cost me about $100 and it's high on my list of regrets. My drill attachment works just as well for most stuff. I've had great experience with other Grizzly tools and plan to buy one of their drill presses sometime this year.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Brian, I know you're not in the best frame of mind perhaps and I don't want to get your hopes up but, I'm not convinced your holes are inadequate to the task yet. I can't see from the pictures what you were trying to drill. Can you post something that illustrates better what you were trying to do and how your result failed to work? The reason I say all this is that when I first started learning woodworking, I didn't know much about how to screw up (like glue up but with screws) two pieces of wood. I didn't know I didn't know either until I ran across an article that showed how to do it properly. For example, the hole in the piece of wood that is being attached to the other piece of wood should be large enough for the screw to fit through without the threads engaging the first piece of wood. Anyway, it may be that accuracy is not as important in the first place.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Outputter,

Because I am using the same methodology that I used in the Workbench, I know the importance of the holes on each leg being aligned. If it is off, it makes assembly difficult. I will fix it. Worry not.

Brian


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Looked back at the workbench videos on FWW and maybe I see what you're doing. If you were drilling the holes for the threaded rods, you won't have much trouble with the fix. The exit hole will be hidden anyway. If you got the dowel center punch thingies like in the video, you may be able to use them to mark the exit holes and drill from both sides of the 4×4s until the holes meet. Just a suggestion.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


You have gotten plenty of good advice here Brian. I would only add that if you are willing to make the outlay for a drill press, then I would do it. There are many things a drill press can do, not the least to drill not only perfect 90 degree holes, but also a lot of angled holes. Its a great machine to use for mortising (drill first, chisel to complete) It can also be used for drum sanding, and even planing for smaller projects if you buy a rotary planer accessory. I sure there are lots of other uses too that I haven't thought of right off hand. I first bought an inexpensive table model DP which was ok, but frustrating due to lack of capacity. I love my floor model DP. It doesn't take up much space and it was worth every penny.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


I have yet to be able to hand drill anything at a 90 degree angle - and I have been trying it for years. It's the eyes (yeah, that's the ticket…).

However, I am a great cook and have plenty other skills, so I focus on that fact to keep the frustration down. Buying a drill press (mine is from General International) was a massive improvement in my ability to drill straight holes.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Whoa boy, lets back up just a little. What size hole and how long. Was the drill bit the same size as the threaded rod or did you allow a little extra space. When I drilled the bolt holes on my bench I used a 5/8 drill for 1/2 bolts.
Do you really need all that threaded rod. perhaps a little study of other joining methods might be in order. One of my rules is that sharp tools and distraction do not mix, you were lucky, instead of an out of line hole you could have just as easily had one that required sutures. Also remember that the hand is very easy to permently (sp?) damage. And last but perhaps most important drill press before table saw, not a well thought thru decision and yes when the time comes don't even consider a bench top. If you have questions e-mail or end me a phone # and I'll call.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


I wasn't doing any drilling while watching football, just using a pencil and ruler.

I use a 1/2 bit, for the 3/8 rod. I could use other joinery, but I am trying to duplicate the methodology I used before. I really want to succeed in doing it correctly. In my current state of learning, I feel that it is important to master each skill that I try. Thus far, I have not mastered drilling straight holes in 4×4s.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I have gotten some good suggestions on drill presses. I also really like the idea of using a jig too.

This suggestion was left on my blog site.

Take a look at the Bridge City Tools DJ1 drilling jig: http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/Drilling+/DJ1+Drilling+Jig

It may be the best solution.


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


For what DJ1 Drilling Jig costs you can buy a drill press.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


The person who suggested it said, "For what a drill press cost, you can buy a DJ1."


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Brian you can see if it is treaded wood if you cut it straight a cross and look at the end if the mittle of
the wood has a white colour you have treaded wood and it´s for autside use only

but the colours on my screen indicate that it can be ash or oak I have seen both wood
in that colour here in skandinavia

and a cookie sounds good I will go in the kitchen and see if there is something for the stomac

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


I checked and it turns out that it is treated wood. Oh well, too late to unsand or uncut it now.


----------



## SEE

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Your lumber looks like pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) to me. It's commonly used in outdoor construction such as decks.

People have given you lots of sound advice here, from a small piece of mirror, a sacrificial jig, drill guides and drill presses.

I went for years without a DP in my shop. When I finally did buy one it sure made my woodworking journey more accurate and less of a hassle. If you decide to buy a DP I recommend that you buy one with as much spindle travel as possible. The G7944 that David Gray has in shop has a good reputation. I lucked out and purchased a G7947 in brand new condition off of CL for $250. It has a 4 3/4 spindle travel:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Speed-17-Floor-Drill-Press/G7947

If you're interested you can see the woodworker's DP table that I built for my DP here:

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/22512

The president of Grizzly, Shiraz Balolia , chimed in on a thread about drill presses for woodworkers on another forum a few months back. He said that Grizzly will introduce a new DP later this year that's built especially for woodworking. I don't know what that means in terms of the specs and features of the new Grizzly DP.

I've heard good things about the Steel City DP with 6" spindle travel.

You're correct in that there are many choices. I think it's prudent for you to do your research to find one that will work well for you, taking into consideration the type of work that you do. We all have different needs.

I'm sure that opinions will vary widely on this. But, for me, the Laser Crosshair feature on a DP, and most other machines, too, would be very low on my priority list of desired features.

Good luck with your decision.Take a deep breath from time to time! The cookie is a good idea, too. Don't be too hard on yourself, either.

Stephen


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


See,

Really cool picture for your posts!!!! I love it. I agree, I have received lots of great advice. I knew I would. I really like the table you built for your drill press. I will definitely take my time making the decision. My next few ideas for projects won't require the same sort of drilling, so I should be ok for a bit.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


If you don't want to use an alternative joinery technique, maybe you should just start anew? The wood is pretty cheap compared to the tools you are talking about, no? BTW, I have been looking at the Delta 959L drill press. It doesn't look as nice as the Powermatic mentioned above, but it achieves 200 RPM on the low end instead of 400, in case you might like to drill metal. It also has a very nice table and it can be had for $579.

In the same vein as you, I have designed a planer/grinder table I am going to build (featuring a planed top) before I attempt my workbench project. I want to practice glueing and planing a 24" table flat before I try a 7' table. I'll keep buying wood until I get it right! ; )

Good luck (and have fun)!
Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Thanks for the suggestion Bill, but if you check out the most recent post, I have fixed the legs. I am moving forward.


----------



## captkerk

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Used machines on craigslist can be a great way to get a machine you've been needing for a good price. You may have to make some concessions on all the gee whiz features that some higher priced and newer machines have, but at least you'll have the basics and you can then find out what really matters to you.

I found a Craftsman floor standing DP on craigslist for $100. The guy even threw in a bunch of bits and hole saws. It may not have the long stroke of other DPs or fancy lasers, but it works a hell of a lot better than me using a hand held drill or a cheap old drill press stand for my power drill.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Suck*
> 
> 
> 
> On April 24, 1990 the Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The images they sent back were blurry. It was one of the darkest days in the space programs history. After polishing the primary mirror for a year they had screwed it up, worse than Billy Buckner in the sixth game of the 86' World Series. The mirror was off by 1/50th the width of a single human hair.
> 
> The holes, which I drilled in the legs for my router table, were off by more than the Hubble mirror. I am sure that the outrage among the scientific community will be less severe, though only slightly. I had the same problem with the workbench, though part of it was due to trying to measure and watch college football simultaneously, but the point is, I still drilled holes that were not true. I was careful in my markings; I was careful in drilling the holes and still just couldn't get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. At the moment of realization that one has 'done it again', the five stages of woodworking begin. The woodworker will look at the pieces which don't fit together, take them apart, then immediately put them back together, hoping that this time it will work. This cycle will continue until a feeling of disgust and rage boil up from deep within our craftsman. Reaching towards the sky and screaming to the wood gods, "Why Me" will provide no comfort and the Anger will not subside until he or she starts to bargain with the wood pieces. "Please fit together. I promise that next time I will be more careful. Come on, just this once…" This reasoning will end in tears and a feeling of overwhelming depression, and finally acceptance. Once acceptance is reached, the woodworker will figure out a solution and ultimately triumph. I am not to acceptance.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that much as I love my Japanese hand saw for cutting, I may need to make an upgrade from a hand drill to a drill press. The worst part is that after letting two woodworking ground balls travel through my legs, I am anxious to try again. So obviously I will need to build another bench of some sort. Of course next time, I will use a drill press to drill the holes.
> 
> If I were in acceptance I would write a good transition to this paragraph, but I am still too depressed so I will just carry on without any thought to the rhythm or style of this piece. Also, figure skating pisses me off! But I digress. This has really gotten under my skin, both the figure skating and the drilling debacle. I can tell that it has even affected my writing as this post is neither funny nor entertaining. In fact, I would say it is, sad, and boring. It is difficult to write when one is dealing with stage four of a woodworking funk. I wish I had a
> cookie.
> 
> Since I don't have a cookie, I will ask for your help in reaching acceptance. To get there I think I need to have a solid plan for buying a drill press. So the question of the day, which I haven't asked in over a month, is this, what would you, the reader, recommend as a good quality drill press?
> 
> I have looked at the Delta DP 300L 12 Twin Laser Crosshair Drill Press and it seems good, but there are a lot of ones to choose from. Any help would be greatly appreicated.


Captkerk,

I had some great luck buying some rough cut walnut and cherry on craigslist, and I check it frequently. congrats on the Craftsman.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Her Name is Angie*



The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.

I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.



Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.

In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.

She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.

After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.

Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Very cool Brian. To quote Chumbawumba "I get knocked down but I get up again…"

I am always impressed by your determination and spirit and the creative methods you use to cope.

And, it is nice to see that persistence paid off for you even in High School.

If I remember correctly, I never had dates because of my ignorance of the hints. I think they were called "restraining orders"

David


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Actually, it was my freshman year in college. But thanks. She was a delightful woman, and it was a year full of tremendous memories.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Determination is a great quality to have but a good scrap bin doesn't hurt either. I think the interest was generated because the people on this site will not sit by while a fellow jock pours scorn on themselves. Plus, spending other peoples' money on tools is a lot of fun.


----------



## davidroberts

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Fond memories, her name was Magil and she called herself Lil, but everyone knew her as Nancy. No, wait a second, Becky, her name was, Becky. OK, thanks Paul. I still haven't figured out how I drilled pocket holes in the wrong direction the other day. I didn't know such a thing was possible. I was wrong.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Tracy and Teri, and now Angie, are good for the blog…keep them in! : )
Amazing how the friends we made "way back then" remain in our minds.
I'm about 4 years older than you I think, so my "way back then" is about the same as yours.
Fond memories.

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Bill,

I am 42, on the cusp of 43.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Yep, somehow I estimated that from something your wrote.
Bill


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today.  Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


I'm glad to see that you overcame your difficulties and learned something new to boot Brian. Now that we're talking about love life, I've been dreaming about getting out into the shop to use my new router.


----------



## KMJohnsonow

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Good story.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Yeah, I remember "angie". That song the boys would not dance with me… Hints and persistence happen on both sides of the fence 

I need to reach for the rasps more often. Good reminder.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


Brian,
I envy your memories, so recent, that you seem to recall in such wonderful detail.
The memories of my youth have grown dim and, really, irrelevant, The best memories, for me, are the nearly 49 years with the love of my wife, Marge.
She has encouraged me to buy many tools.
That alone would be enough to build fond memories upon, would it not?
I have the advantage, having lived about 35 more years than you. Its good.
I read your blogs daily and enjoy them.
Thanks for that!
d


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


A good lesson learned can be applied in even smaller segments. If something doesn't go right and is starting to frustrate, take a break, do something different etc. sometimes 15 mins is all it takes. The point is that nothing will come out right while you are being overwhelmed with it. Just for the record all drilled hole are straight. Its the angle to the wood that puts them out of line, so now you know that you can drill straight hole through a 2×4.


----------



## davidroberts

Ecocandle said:


> *Her Name is Angie*
> 
> 
> 
> The response to yesterday's blog, "I Suck", was tremendous. The number of views went way up. I can only assume that there were a great number of people who agree whole heartedly, and likely have had this opinion for some time. When they saw the title, they were eager to revel in my realization, of that which they had always known. The comments were wonderful. I responded to a number of them and I looked up a lot of the products that people suggested. I am much smarter today. Thanks everyone.
> 
> I love math. I love the precision. I know that if I measure an identical distance on two pieces of wood, that given a slope of zero, when I drill, the holes will line up. It is simple math. I feel that it is important to show what happens when you drill one hole with a positive slope and one with a negative slope. As you can see it is not even close. This concludes my complaining about yesterday's misadventures, and now on to your regularly scheduled blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Social media is a wonderful thing. It allows us to meet new people, find wonderful blogs, join groups that are made up of people who share similar interests. Social media also allows one to be found. Yesterday I was found by a ghost from my past.
> 
> In the year nineteen hundred and eighty-five there was a girl; a young woman really, with curly blonde hair, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports, and gift for trash talking. I thought she was the cat's meow, and you know how I feel about cats. Admittedly, the saying, 'The Cat's Meow', had gone out of fashion in the late 20's, but I enjoy going 'old school', now and again. I digress.
> 
> She didn't think I was the cat's anything, but I was determined. I imagined that I would win her heart in a week or two, much like I imagined that when the holes were drilled in the router table legs, I would only have to tweak one or two of the sixteen. Angie was not so cooperative and fancied another boy. Of the sixteen holes, fourteen of them were hideously wrong.
> 
> After a couple of months of me not getting the hint; she just gave up and decided to go out with me. I still remember the first time I took her home to meet the parents. My father and Angie got into a serious sports conversation. I love sports, but Angie, was the 'Son' my father never had. I digress again. The point is that I wore her down, and I used this same determination today, to whip the legs into shape. The holes now line up. I am thrilled.
> 
> Another lesson was learned today. After an evening of sleep, the disasters of the day before, in the light of a new day, are merely opportunities to practice using my rasp. I enjoyed my woodworking today, and the time spent waxing nostalgic about freshman year.


I think, or at least heard a rumor that "Angie" of Rolling Stones fame was actually David Bowie, as in a Mick Jagger / David Bowie trist. Who knows.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Inspired by Ziggy*



I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.

I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.

Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.

Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.



I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.



I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.

When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


brian ,
this is looking good .

for the plate cutout ,
you can tack down a frame sligtly bigger than the plate ,
and use your guide bushings inside the frame ,
with the appropriate bit ,
just figure in the offset from the edge of the bushing ,
to the edge of the bit .
make the frame parts wide enough to hold the router base flat ,
then remove them after you are done ,
and use a rabbeting bit for the edge rabbet .


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


I have a guinea pig bit, two hamster bits, and a lovely groundhog bit, but I don't have a rabbet bit yet. I guess I will need to pick one up.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


*What in the name of woodworking is ODF?*

d


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


I think it is the same as MDF, but they called it ODF and charged me more at the lumberyard. Obviously ODF is one letter better than MDF.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


Profile is better. 
.... and, hopefully, its not OSB.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


brian ,
edit edit edit ,
if you do the rabbet to hold the plate , 
the cut out needs to be smaller than the plate ,
by the width of the rabbet .
then when you rabbet the cut out ,
the edge of that is the base plate size .

sorry , i'm still dreaming of luna !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


David…aren't we all.


----------



## longgone

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


The ODF optional density fiberboard) is better than the MDF (medium density fiberboard) but for the really best you should get the PDF (Premium Density Fiberboard). It seems the computer industry keeps stealing our woodworking terminology….Routers, pdf. etc.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


I don't think I've ever seen a carpeted workshop before. Do you use a shop vac or a Hoover?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


Kacy,

I agree about the profile. 

Greg,

Thanks for the explanation. It is good to know they didn't make it up and charge me more.

Jim,

I use a shop vac and occasionally a Dyson.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


Looks good!

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


Thanks for the vote of confidence notottoman. Though I think that museum quality pieces are a ways off, how about I try for garage sale pieces first?


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


Employing a specific web search, I found no information on any material called or specifies to be ODF or optional density fiberboard.
Perhaps I missed something.
Is this possibly a house brand marking?
If this is really a new material or a better sort of MDF or HDF I'd like to know about it because improved materials are of great interest to me.
Can someone provide a link to a manufacturer or retailer that specifies ODF?
Thanks,
Don


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


Your table looks very good so far. My suggestion would be to go for a 1-1/2" top thickness so it doesn't "belly out" with the weight of your router. Man made platters are not very rigid. Personally I would rather use two layers of 3/4" plywood, but the ODF is a lot less expensive and will work fine. When you rout the opening you can just rout a little way through, say 1/4" and then drill a hole and saw through with your saber saw leaving a rough rim to be finished off with the router afterward. It's faster with less noise and dust and saves some strain on your router and bit.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Inspired by Ziggy*
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it was Virgil who said, "They are able because they think they are able." When I say I believe, what I really mean is that I googled famous sayings and found it waiting there for me. Saying 'I believe', is simply me having delusions of well read.
> 
> I seem to remember Stevie Wonder saying, "We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." It was a warm day in June I believe. Ok, I made that last part up.
> 
> Back in the day, I used to hang out with David Bowie and Boutros Boutros Ghali, at a club in London. It was a moist evening and Bowie was passed out near the juke box, which was playing 'Spiders from Mars'. While doing shots with a small band of traveling circus folks, Boutros said, "If at first you don't succeed, form a committee, discuss things at length, and…". He became distracted by the bar maid, then continued, "..and…what was I saying?...oh yes…Can I get another freaking round of jello shots!" Jimmy the 'Monkey Boy', looked confused, until I explained that this was the closest he had ever come to having a coherent thought. The evening ended badly, when Bowie awoke and decided he wanted to ride an elephant.
> 
> Obviously I have run amok on the ole keyboard and can't be trusted to tell a story without embellishment. And by embellishment I mean complete fabrication. I digress. Sometimes that happens when one is filled with Olympic spirit and lean pockets.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a wonderful couple of hours of woodworking this evening. There were several tasks I wanted to complete. First of all I needed to cut the 3/8th inch threaded rods with an ancient hacksaw. After the rods are cut, the next step is to put them into the stretchers. Once all the stretchers are ready to go, I needed to drill a 3/8th inch hole for the dowel pegs. The dowel pegs are used on the top half of each stretcher to keep the stretchers vertical and aligned when the legs are assembled. The last task on my list was to assemble the legs.
> Because I have already done all of these steps during the construction of my workbench, I am able to see how I have progressed as a woodworker. Getting to this stage the first time, took 3 weeks, compared to less than a week this time. The holes I have drilled, despite their issues, were much easier with my new Bosch drill bits. Each step was easier because I had a workbench. Just having that vice makes life so much easier. The routing portion was less scary because of the jig I created. Every aspect has been faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable.
> 
> 
> 
> I have completed the legs for my router table. Victory is mine. The next steps will be to lay out the top of the table. I must decide if I want to use 1 or 2 sheets of ¾ inch ODF. Buy a piano hinge. Mark and cut out the opening for the router plate. Route out a channel for the T track. Install the plate and drill out the holes for router. Then I will figure out what I am going to build for a fence. It is clear that I still have a bunch of work to do, but I am excited, because these next steps are going to be new territory for me. The installation of the router plate and the drilling the holes scares me a little, but I will figure it out.
> 
> When combined, each of these little triumphs, give me confidence. I do feel I am able, and as I have completed all the tasks, have proven that it is so. Virgil was correct. So I am done for the night, time to kick back, watch Olympics and possibly listen to 'Changes'.


Stefant,

I think you are right about the 1-1/2" thickness. I wasn't aware of ODF being not as good as plywood. I am not married to the idea of using ODF, I just happen to have some. I may have to rethink my wood choice for the top.

Don,

I will ask for more information at the lumbaryard next time I am there.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*



Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.

He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.

He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.

"Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.

"No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.

His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.

The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.

"Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.

"I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.

"Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.

"No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."

"I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.

The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.

"This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
"Please Henry, call me Sylvia."

"Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.

"It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.

"His lab?" Henry asked.

"Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."

"You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"

"Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."

"So what makes you think he was up to something?"

"Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."

"Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.

"Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."

Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."

Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."

"It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


I realize that there wasn't really any woodworking in today's blog, but I figured that the people who are enjoying the Henry Wood story, would like another chapter.


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


Keep 'um comin'........please?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


Worry not, I have plenty more of this story rattling around in my mellon. I just like to mix it up. Keep people guessing.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


Is somebody messing with Henry's time portal closet?


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


do we trust her yet ?

i could interview her ,
but only for a weekend .

i too have a busy schedule .

are you by chance 
related to 
umberto eco ?
even though you look more irish to his italian ,
one never knows ,
what is lurking in the 
woodpile .


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


Wow patron, nice reference. I am not related, but I think I could pull off the beard, if push came to shove.

And though I am not a fellow at Kellogg College, I did grow up on Kellogg street in Ames Iowa.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


what a coincidence ,
i got to eat 
Kellogg's corn flakes 
at times in my youth ,

maybe they were swept off the streets
of ames ?


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


great to be updated and see what mr. Wood is doing
let the pen fly
looking forward to the next

Dennis


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


Back to the future? BTW we also have Kellogg's corn flakes in Norway now.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


Talk to Bobby ?? or check him out first ?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


Kellogg's Corn flakes, the great American cereal…made in Australia.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: A Case of Deja Vu*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry's belly was full of eggs and bacon. His body ached from the encounter with Tommy 'The Knife's' worker bees. Several of his ribs could still feel their sting. He sat behind the wheel looking blankly down the street. Not a soul in site. All along the avenue were cars, some covered in snow, some cleaned off, but all of them resting and waiting for the day to begin. The sun was up, but the sky was too grey and depressing for anyone to know it. He pulled out and headed to see Miss Culberson.
> 
> He had talked to her on the phone. With most of his 'updates' being a load of bull. Henry didn't believe she was on the up and up. Something about the way she dressed, which was intoxicating, and the way she described her father's death, just didn't ring true. He couldn't sense any grieving. Her line about worrying if her father's good name might be tarnished made him think she was hiding her real motive. Henry wanted to see her in her home. Read her on her turf. And maybe snoop around a bit.
> 
> He pulled into the drive. Opulence is usually wasted on Henry, but in this instance, he was impressed. He pulled his car up to the front door, parked behind the 34' Bentley 3.5 Darby. It was a black and cream colored beauty. He rapped the knocker against the massive door. Footsteps could be heard approaching and then a stately gentleman opened the door and invited him in.
> 
> "Good Morning Sir, are you expected?" the man said in a proper British accent.
> 
> "No, but I believe Miss Culberson will see me." Henry said politely. He watched him head up the massive front stairs. Henry thought about some of the great houses he had seen, Mansion House in London, The Breakers, and The Elms in Newport. This wasn't quite in their league, but not far off either. He guessed that it could be quite a while before she returned; depending upon which wing she was in. Henry loved art and immediately noticed the Hiram Powers 'The Greek Slave' displayed prominently in the center of the entryway.
> 
> His feet echoed down the halls as he wondered around the corner. The hallway ran up to a set of giant mahogany doors. There were doors flanking the hall, each of them closed. Between each door there was a huge portrait. Normally one would expect to see family portraits, but Henry recognized two paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, the Lord and Lady of Dunstansville from the end of the 18th century. He was confident that they were not distant relatives of the Culbersons. When he spied the John Singer Sargent portrait of Madame Edouard Paileron, he knew that the Culbersons were new money, trying to buy their way into respectable society; And from the looks of it, doing a pretty good job.
> 
> The sound of distant feet approaching sent Henry back to his spot by the door. It was a good ten seconds before Miss Culberson appeared at the top of the steps. She flashed a big smile upon recognizing Henry, but quickly composed herself and replaced the smile with a more proper, albeit blank, expression. She seemed to float down the stairs. Each step was precise and refine, though it felt a bit forced.
> 
> "Good Morning, Mr. Wood, how are you today?" She said.
> 
> "I am well, thank-you." Henry said with an equally refined and overtly forced expression.
> Seeing this and knowing that he wasn't buying her routine, she relaxed a bit.
> 
> "Oh Henry, you see right through me, don't you?" She said, while putting her arm through his and leading him down the hall towards the giant doors. "Now tell me, have you made any progress finding the journal?"
> Henry wanted to get a read on her and she seemed to be relaxing, so he decided to see what he could learn. "I have been working your case, and yesterday, I got worked over by some of Tommy 'The Knife's men. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" He said, trying to push her buttons. He was surprised by her answer.
> 
> "No. Who is that?" She said innocently. So innocently, in fact, that Henry believed her. So he brushed off her question by saying, "Oh nobody really, just another interested party. I thought you might have heard your father speak about him."
> 
> "I didn't really know any of my father's friends. The only person who visited him regularly was that accountant Mr. Alexander. They would disappear into father's office and talk in hushed voices." She said, opening the giant doors.
> 
> The door led to a massive office, or was it a library, Henry wasn't sure. There desk in the center made him think office. She let go of his arm and said, "This is daddy's office. ", in a voice that rang true for the first time, since she had walked into his office.
> 
> "This is very impressive Miss Culberson." Henry said, his eyes scanning the walls, taking in as much as he could.
> "Please Henry, call me Sylvia."
> 
> "Sylvia, how did your father die?" Henry said, trying not to sound insensitive.
> 
> "It was an explosion in his lab." She said, showing genuine remorse. Something Henry hadn't noticed in his office.
> 
> "His lab?" Henry asked.
> 
> "Yes he was an inventor. He had all sorts of patents. I can't even explain what all of his stuff does; I just know that he loved his work."
> 
> "You said that you suspected that he may have been cooking the books with Mr. Alexander, what makes you say that?"
> 
> "Look at this place." She said waving her arms over her head slowly, and then sat down in her father's desk chair and continued, "We moved here 3 years ago. Before that we lived in a small brownstone, and barely had enough to eat. I worked at a department store downtown. After mother died, he threw himself into his research and one day, he came home and said he had sold one of his patents. Two months later he sold another one, and then two more. It seems that companies were lining up at the door to get their hands on his inventions."
> 
> "So what makes you think he was up to something?"
> 
> "Well, he was so secretive, and two weeks before the explosion, he told me about the journal Mr. Alexander was keeping and that it could be dangerous for us. That is when he told me about you."
> 
> "Excuse me?" Henry said, trying not to sound startled, though he clearly was taken aback.
> 
> "Yes, we had dinner, just like most nights, and then he brought me in here and told me about the journal and said that if anything happened to him, I should hire you to find the journal. He gave me your card."
> She opened the top drawer on the right side and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Henry and said, "Oh and I had a bit of a hard time finding you, it must have your old address. I went there first and the office was empty, so I asked the bellman and he found out your current address for me."
> 
> Henry took the card and looked at it. He looked at it again. The address was not his, nor was it his previous address, as he had always been in the same building. He turned the card over and the back was blank. He thought to himself, "That is so odd, I have never had another office, but that address looks very familiar. This is just two blocks from my office."
> 
> Sylvia said, "What's wrong Henry, isn't that your card? You look like you have never seen it before."
> 
> "It does look like my card, but I have never…" He stopped mid sentence. He took out his wallet and removed Bobby's card. A chill ran up and down his spine. He slowly turned it over and read the back. The addresses were the same, right down to the office number, 309. Sylvia had just handed him a business cards, with what appeared to be his next address.


I love Umberto Eco's works.

You have references to a card in there, which reminds me of a scraper, therefore references to wood besides the main character's name.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Lab*










Sylvia looked at Henry, and cocked her head to the side. It was obvious to her that he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he suddenly felt like he had to sit down.
"Are you ok? Would you like a drink?" she asked.

"I am fine, thank-you, and yes please." Henry said, still looking at the back of Bobby's card and the business card that Sylvia had just handed him. He knew he didn't want to try and explain to her what he was thinking. It would have struck him as impossible, were it not for his closet, which he had grown to accept. He couldn't imagine being able to explain it to Sylvia.

The distinctive sound of ice cubes landing in fine crystal went unnoticed by Henry. Sylvia poured Henry a scotch rocks; she hadn't asked what he wanted, because the look on his face was one of complete concentration. She had seen it on her father's face many times, and knew that it was best not to break his train of thought. With the grace of a cat she set the drink on a coaster in front of Henry.

Henry was staring at the bookshelves behind the desk, but it looked like he was seeing past them, off to the horizon. Off to the ends of the earth for all she knew. A minute passed and slowly Henry reached out, slowly picked up the scotch, and took a sip. He didn't change his stare, but said, "Thanks, this is excellent."

Sylvia whispered, "You're welcome." She had returned to the desk and was watching him, completely intrigued by his motionlessness. It was as if she stared into his eyes hard enough, she might see what he was thinking.

The deafening silence was shattered when Henry asked, "May I see your father's lab?"

"Sure." Sylvia said, startled at the suddenness of his question. She stood up, grabbed her drink, and headed into the hall. Henry followed, taking sips of his drink as he walked. They crossed the entryway; headed down a hall that was the mirror image of the one they had just left. Henry was no longer paying attention to the art. Before they got to the end, Sylvia opened the last door on the left, and Henry followed her through.

The room was long and rectangular; they passed through it, to a door at the far end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which headed down. Though Henry was still deep in thought, he did notice that they seemed to be going down more than just one story. It felt like two or three. They had passed a small door and continued on until they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Sylvia lifted the latch and pushed the door open. The hallway was entirely made of stone and felt like a dungeon, though it was lit with modern lighting. Henry felt he should be carrying a torch.

Sylvia paused at the door at the end of the hall. "I haven't been down here since the explosion. If you don't mind, I will stay outside." She leaned down and pulled a flashlight out of a little wooden box sitting by the door. She handed it to Henry.

"I understand." He said, clicking on the light. He opened the door and walked into the lab. There was a burnt smell, but it wasn't the same as his office, it was more of a sulfur smell. The room was a large and circular in shape, with a very high domed ceiling. It looked like there had been three workstations around a center area where there must have been something massive. All that remained now was a crater. The edges of the room had piles of equipment, glass and wood, which had been blasted out from the center. There were large bits of the ceiling on the floor. The basic structure still seemed sound, but the lab and its contents had been turned to a pile of rubble.

Henry walked all the way around the room. He didn't see anything helpful, so he turned off the flashlight and put it back in the box by the door. He had something he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. He already knew that Sylvia wasn't tuned into her father's work, but he had a theory, a crazy theory, so he decided to ease into the question.

"Was your father alone when the accident happened?"

Sylvia said, "Yes, he always worked alone."

"Were you home when it happened?" Henry asked, lowering his voice slightly.

"I was shopping at Macy's, when Winston called and told me what had happened."

"Winston?" Henry asked.

"He manages the house, you met him earlier." She said, giving a heavy sigh, as she remembered getting the call.

"Winston found the body, I mean, er, your father?" Henry asked, stumbling a bit with his words. That was the question he wanted to ask, but had hoped to be able to do it more delicately.

"We never found a body. Everything was destroyed in the explosion. He was the first one down here, if that is what you mean." She said.

"And you don't have any idea what he was working on?" Henry asked, though he knew the answer.

"No idea at all."

Henry had his answer. He was developing a theory, but was a long way from figuring out where he was going to find the next clue. He needed to get the journal to the district attorney and to find the key that would unravel its contents. He was sure that there was something in this house that would point him in the right direction. He hoped he would be able to spot it. He decided to head back to Mr. Alexander's office and take a closer look at the books. Every clue had been very subtle, he was sure that trend would continue. He would need to talk to Winston.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Lab*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sylvia looked at Henry, and cocked her head to the side. It was obvious to her that he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he suddenly felt like he had to sit down.
> "Are you ok? Would you like a drink?" she asked.
> 
> "I am fine, thank-you, and yes please." Henry said, still looking at the back of Bobby's card and the business card that Sylvia had just handed him. He knew he didn't want to try and explain to her what he was thinking. It would have struck him as impossible, were it not for his closet, which he had grown to accept. He couldn't imagine being able to explain it to Sylvia.
> 
> The distinctive sound of ice cubes landing in fine crystal went unnoticed by Henry. Sylvia poured Henry a scotch rocks; she hadn't asked what he wanted, because the look on his face was one of complete concentration. She had seen it on her father's face many times, and knew that it was best not to break his train of thought. With the grace of a cat she set the drink on a coaster in front of Henry.
> 
> Henry was staring at the bookshelves behind the desk, but it looked like he was seeing past them, off to the horizon. Off to the ends of the earth for all she knew. A minute passed and slowly Henry reached out, slowly picked up the scotch, and took a sip. He didn't change his stare, but said, "Thanks, this is excellent."
> 
> Sylvia whispered, "You're welcome." She had returned to the desk and was watching him, completely intrigued by his motionlessness. It was as if she stared into his eyes hard enough, she might see what he was thinking.
> 
> The deafening silence was shattered when Henry asked, "May I see your father's lab?"
> 
> "Sure." Sylvia said, startled at the suddenness of his question. She stood up, grabbed her drink, and headed into the hall. Henry followed, taking sips of his drink as he walked. They crossed the entryway; headed down a hall that was the mirror image of the one they had just left. Henry was no longer paying attention to the art. Before they got to the end, Sylvia opened the last door on the left, and Henry followed her through.
> 
> The room was long and rectangular; they passed through it, to a door at the far end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which headed down. Though Henry was still deep in thought, he did notice that they seemed to be going down more than just one story. It felt like two or three. They had passed a small door and continued on until they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Sylvia lifted the latch and pushed the door open. The hallway was entirely made of stone and felt like a dungeon, though it was lit with modern lighting. Henry felt he should be carrying a torch.
> 
> Sylvia paused at the door at the end of the hall. "I haven't been down here since the explosion. If you don't mind, I will stay outside." She leaned down and pulled a flashlight out of a little wooden box sitting by the door. She handed it to Henry.
> 
> "I understand." He said, clicking on the light. He opened the door and walked into the lab. There was a burnt smell, but it wasn't the same as his office, it was more of a sulfur smell. The room was a large and circular in shape, with a very high domed ceiling. It looked like there had been three workstations around a center area where there must have been something massive. All that remained now was a crater. The edges of the room had piles of equipment, glass and wood, which had been blasted out from the center. There were large bits of the ceiling on the floor. The basic structure still seemed sound, but the lab and its contents had been turned to a pile of rubble.
> 
> Henry walked all the way around the room. He didn't see anything helpful, so he turned off the flashlight and put it back in the box by the door. He had something he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. He already knew that Sylvia wasn't tuned into her father's work, but he had a theory, a crazy theory, so he decided to ease into the question.
> 
> "Was your father alone when the accident happened?"
> 
> Sylvia said, "Yes, he always worked alone."
> 
> "Were you home when it happened?" Henry asked, lowering his voice slightly.
> 
> "I was shopping at Macy's, when Winston called and told me what had happened."
> 
> "Winston?" Henry asked.
> 
> "He manages the house, you met him earlier." She said, giving a heavy sigh, as she remembered getting the call.
> 
> "Winston found the body, I mean, er, your father?" Henry asked, stumbling a bit with his words. That was the question he wanted to ask, but had hoped to be able to do it more delicately.
> 
> "We never found a body. Everything was destroyed in the explosion. He was the first one down here, if that is what you mean." She said.
> 
> "And you don't have any idea what he was working on?" Henry asked, though he knew the answer.
> 
> "No idea at all."
> 
> Henry had his answer. He was developing a theory, but was a long way from figuring out where he was going to find the next clue. He needed to get the journal to the district attorney and to find the key that would unravel its contents. He was sure that there was something in this house that would point him in the right direction. He hoped he would be able to spot it. He decided to head back to Mr. Alexander's office and take a closer look at the books. Every clue had been very subtle, he was sure that trend would continue. He would need to talk to Winston.


A note to everyone. I am visiting my parents this weekend, so I am not at home. This will impede my ability to do much with woodworking or photography, so you will will have to live with a couple of episodes of Henry Wood, until I get home.

On the upside, I can go to the Woodsmith Store tomorrow. Which is always fun.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Lab*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sylvia looked at Henry, and cocked her head to the side. It was obvious to her that he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he suddenly felt like he had to sit down.
> "Are you ok? Would you like a drink?" she asked.
> 
> "I am fine, thank-you, and yes please." Henry said, still looking at the back of Bobby's card and the business card that Sylvia had just handed him. He knew he didn't want to try and explain to her what he was thinking. It would have struck him as impossible, were it not for his closet, which he had grown to accept. He couldn't imagine being able to explain it to Sylvia.
> 
> The distinctive sound of ice cubes landing in fine crystal went unnoticed by Henry. Sylvia poured Henry a scotch rocks; she hadn't asked what he wanted, because the look on his face was one of complete concentration. She had seen it on her father's face many times, and knew that it was best not to break his train of thought. With the grace of a cat she set the drink on a coaster in front of Henry.
> 
> Henry was staring at the bookshelves behind the desk, but it looked like he was seeing past them, off to the horizon. Off to the ends of the earth for all she knew. A minute passed and slowly Henry reached out, slowly picked up the scotch, and took a sip. He didn't change his stare, but said, "Thanks, this is excellent."
> 
> Sylvia whispered, "You're welcome." She had returned to the desk and was watching him, completely intrigued by his motionlessness. It was as if she stared into his eyes hard enough, she might see what he was thinking.
> 
> The deafening silence was shattered when Henry asked, "May I see your father's lab?"
> 
> "Sure." Sylvia said, startled at the suddenness of his question. She stood up, grabbed her drink, and headed into the hall. Henry followed, taking sips of his drink as he walked. They crossed the entryway; headed down a hall that was the mirror image of the one they had just left. Henry was no longer paying attention to the art. Before they got to the end, Sylvia opened the last door on the left, and Henry followed her through.
> 
> The room was long and rectangular; they passed through it, to a door at the far end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which headed down. Though Henry was still deep in thought, he did notice that they seemed to be going down more than just one story. It felt like two or three. They had passed a small door and continued on until they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Sylvia lifted the latch and pushed the door open. The hallway was entirely made of stone and felt like a dungeon, though it was lit with modern lighting. Henry felt he should be carrying a torch.
> 
> Sylvia paused at the door at the end of the hall. "I haven't been down here since the explosion. If you don't mind, I will stay outside." She leaned down and pulled a flashlight out of a little wooden box sitting by the door. She handed it to Henry.
> 
> "I understand." He said, clicking on the light. He opened the door and walked into the lab. There was a burnt smell, but it wasn't the same as his office, it was more of a sulfur smell. The room was a large and circular in shape, with a very high domed ceiling. It looked like there had been three workstations around a center area where there must have been something massive. All that remained now was a crater. The edges of the room had piles of equipment, glass and wood, which had been blasted out from the center. There were large bits of the ceiling on the floor. The basic structure still seemed sound, but the lab and its contents had been turned to a pile of rubble.
> 
> Henry walked all the way around the room. He didn't see anything helpful, so he turned off the flashlight and put it back in the box by the door. He had something he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. He already knew that Sylvia wasn't tuned into her father's work, but he had a theory, a crazy theory, so he decided to ease into the question.
> 
> "Was your father alone when the accident happened?"
> 
> Sylvia said, "Yes, he always worked alone."
> 
> "Were you home when it happened?" Henry asked, lowering his voice slightly.
> 
> "I was shopping at Macy's, when Winston called and told me what had happened."
> 
> "Winston?" Henry asked.
> 
> "He manages the house, you met him earlier." She said, giving a heavy sigh, as she remembered getting the call.
> 
> "Winston found the body, I mean, er, your father?" Henry asked, stumbling a bit with his words. That was the question he wanted to ask, but had hoped to be able to do it more delicately.
> 
> "We never found a body. Everything was destroyed in the explosion. He was the first one down here, if that is what you mean." She said.
> 
> "And you don't have any idea what he was working on?" Henry asked, though he knew the answer.
> 
> "No idea at all."
> 
> Henry had his answer. He was developing a theory, but was a long way from figuring out where he was going to find the next clue. He needed to get the journal to the district attorney and to find the key that would unravel its contents. He was sure that there was something in this house that would point him in the right direction. He hoped he would be able to spot it. He decided to head back to Mr. Alexander's office and take a closer look at the books. Every clue had been very subtle, he was sure that trend would continue. He would need to talk to Winston.


Have a fun visit! Looking forward to a Woodsmith trip report!


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Lab*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sylvia looked at Henry, and cocked her head to the side. It was obvious to her that he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he suddenly felt like he had to sit down.
> "Are you ok? Would you like a drink?" she asked.
> 
> "I am fine, thank-you, and yes please." Henry said, still looking at the back of Bobby's card and the business card that Sylvia had just handed him. He knew he didn't want to try and explain to her what he was thinking. It would have struck him as impossible, were it not for his closet, which he had grown to accept. He couldn't imagine being able to explain it to Sylvia.
> 
> The distinctive sound of ice cubes landing in fine crystal went unnoticed by Henry. Sylvia poured Henry a scotch rocks; she hadn't asked what he wanted, because the look on his face was one of complete concentration. She had seen it on her father's face many times, and knew that it was best not to break his train of thought. With the grace of a cat she set the drink on a coaster in front of Henry.
> 
> Henry was staring at the bookshelves behind the desk, but it looked like he was seeing past them, off to the horizon. Off to the ends of the earth for all she knew. A minute passed and slowly Henry reached out, slowly picked up the scotch, and took a sip. He didn't change his stare, but said, "Thanks, this is excellent."
> 
> Sylvia whispered, "You're welcome." She had returned to the desk and was watching him, completely intrigued by his motionlessness. It was as if she stared into his eyes hard enough, she might see what he was thinking.
> 
> The deafening silence was shattered when Henry asked, "May I see your father's lab?"
> 
> "Sure." Sylvia said, startled at the suddenness of his question. She stood up, grabbed her drink, and headed into the hall. Henry followed, taking sips of his drink as he walked. They crossed the entryway; headed down a hall that was the mirror image of the one they had just left. Henry was no longer paying attention to the art. Before they got to the end, Sylvia opened the last door on the left, and Henry followed her through.
> 
> The room was long and rectangular; they passed through it, to a door at the far end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which headed down. Though Henry was still deep in thought, he did notice that they seemed to be going down more than just one story. It felt like two or three. They had passed a small door and continued on until they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Sylvia lifted the latch and pushed the door open. The hallway was entirely made of stone and felt like a dungeon, though it was lit with modern lighting. Henry felt he should be carrying a torch.
> 
> Sylvia paused at the door at the end of the hall. "I haven't been down here since the explosion. If you don't mind, I will stay outside." She leaned down and pulled a flashlight out of a little wooden box sitting by the door. She handed it to Henry.
> 
> "I understand." He said, clicking on the light. He opened the door and walked into the lab. There was a burnt smell, but it wasn't the same as his office, it was more of a sulfur smell. The room was a large and circular in shape, with a very high domed ceiling. It looked like there had been three workstations around a center area where there must have been something massive. All that remained now was a crater. The edges of the room had piles of equipment, glass and wood, which had been blasted out from the center. There were large bits of the ceiling on the floor. The basic structure still seemed sound, but the lab and its contents had been turned to a pile of rubble.
> 
> Henry walked all the way around the room. He didn't see anything helpful, so he turned off the flashlight and put it back in the box by the door. He had something he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. He already knew that Sylvia wasn't tuned into her father's work, but he had a theory, a crazy theory, so he decided to ease into the question.
> 
> "Was your father alone when the accident happened?"
> 
> Sylvia said, "Yes, he always worked alone."
> 
> "Were you home when it happened?" Henry asked, lowering his voice slightly.
> 
> "I was shopping at Macy's, when Winston called and told me what had happened."
> 
> "Winston?" Henry asked.
> 
> "He manages the house, you met him earlier." She said, giving a heavy sigh, as she remembered getting the call.
> 
> "Winston found the body, I mean, er, your father?" Henry asked, stumbling a bit with his words. That was the question he wanted to ask, but had hoped to be able to do it more delicately.
> 
> "We never found a body. Everything was destroyed in the explosion. He was the first one down here, if that is what you mean." She said.
> 
> "And you don't have any idea what he was working on?" Henry asked, though he knew the answer.
> 
> "No idea at all."
> 
> Henry had his answer. He was developing a theory, but was a long way from figuring out where he was going to find the next clue. He needed to get the journal to the district attorney and to find the key that would unravel its contents. He was sure that there was something in this house that would point him in the right direction. He hoped he would be able to spot it. He decided to head back to Mr. Alexander's office and take a closer look at the books. Every clue had been very subtle, he was sure that trend would continue. He would need to talk to Winston.


have a nice visit with the folks , brian .

and have fun shopping too .

you may have heard of this ,
and not believed it ,

i had to drive uphill to go to work today !


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Lab*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sylvia looked at Henry, and cocked her head to the side. It was obvious to her that he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he suddenly felt like he had to sit down.
> "Are you ok? Would you like a drink?" she asked.
> 
> "I am fine, thank-you, and yes please." Henry said, still looking at the back of Bobby's card and the business card that Sylvia had just handed him. He knew he didn't want to try and explain to her what he was thinking. It would have struck him as impossible, were it not for his closet, which he had grown to accept. He couldn't imagine being able to explain it to Sylvia.
> 
> The distinctive sound of ice cubes landing in fine crystal went unnoticed by Henry. Sylvia poured Henry a scotch rocks; she hadn't asked what he wanted, because the look on his face was one of complete concentration. She had seen it on her father's face many times, and knew that it was best not to break his train of thought. With the grace of a cat she set the drink on a coaster in front of Henry.
> 
> Henry was staring at the bookshelves behind the desk, but it looked like he was seeing past them, off to the horizon. Off to the ends of the earth for all she knew. A minute passed and slowly Henry reached out, slowly picked up the scotch, and took a sip. He didn't change his stare, but said, "Thanks, this is excellent."
> 
> Sylvia whispered, "You're welcome." She had returned to the desk and was watching him, completely intrigued by his motionlessness. It was as if she stared into his eyes hard enough, she might see what he was thinking.
> 
> The deafening silence was shattered when Henry asked, "May I see your father's lab?"
> 
> "Sure." Sylvia said, startled at the suddenness of his question. She stood up, grabbed her drink, and headed into the hall. Henry followed, taking sips of his drink as he walked. They crossed the entryway; headed down a hall that was the mirror image of the one they had just left. Henry was no longer paying attention to the art. Before they got to the end, Sylvia opened the last door on the left, and Henry followed her through.
> 
> The room was long and rectangular; they passed through it, to a door at the far end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which headed down. Though Henry was still deep in thought, he did notice that they seemed to be going down more than just one story. It felt like two or three. They had passed a small door and continued on until they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Sylvia lifted the latch and pushed the door open. The hallway was entirely made of stone and felt like a dungeon, though it was lit with modern lighting. Henry felt he should be carrying a torch.
> 
> Sylvia paused at the door at the end of the hall. "I haven't been down here since the explosion. If you don't mind, I will stay outside." She leaned down and pulled a flashlight out of a little wooden box sitting by the door. She handed it to Henry.
> 
> "I understand." He said, clicking on the light. He opened the door and walked into the lab. There was a burnt smell, but it wasn't the same as his office, it was more of a sulfur smell. The room was a large and circular in shape, with a very high domed ceiling. It looked like there had been three workstations around a center area where there must have been something massive. All that remained now was a crater. The edges of the room had piles of equipment, glass and wood, which had been blasted out from the center. There were large bits of the ceiling on the floor. The basic structure still seemed sound, but the lab and its contents had been turned to a pile of rubble.
> 
> Henry walked all the way around the room. He didn't see anything helpful, so he turned off the flashlight and put it back in the box by the door. He had something he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. He already knew that Sylvia wasn't tuned into her father's work, but he had a theory, a crazy theory, so he decided to ease into the question.
> 
> "Was your father alone when the accident happened?"
> 
> Sylvia said, "Yes, he always worked alone."
> 
> "Were you home when it happened?" Henry asked, lowering his voice slightly.
> 
> "I was shopping at Macy's, when Winston called and told me what had happened."
> 
> "Winston?" Henry asked.
> 
> "He manages the house, you met him earlier." She said, giving a heavy sigh, as she remembered getting the call.
> 
> "Winston found the body, I mean, er, your father?" Henry asked, stumbling a bit with his words. That was the question he wanted to ask, but had hoped to be able to do it more delicately.
> 
> "We never found a body. Everything was destroyed in the explosion. He was the first one down here, if that is what you mean." She said.
> 
> "And you don't have any idea what he was working on?" Henry asked, though he knew the answer.
> 
> "No idea at all."
> 
> Henry had his answer. He was developing a theory, but was a long way from figuring out where he was going to find the next clue. He needed to get the journal to the district attorney and to find the key that would unravel its contents. He was sure that there was something in this house that would point him in the right direction. He hoped he would be able to spot it. He decided to head back to Mr. Alexander's office and take a closer look at the books. Every clue had been very subtle, he was sure that trend would continue. He would need to talk to Winston.


Try not to spend to much money.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Lab*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sylvia looked at Henry, and cocked her head to the side. It was obvious to her that he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he suddenly felt like he had to sit down.
> "Are you ok? Would you like a drink?" she asked.
> 
> "I am fine, thank-you, and yes please." Henry said, still looking at the back of Bobby's card and the business card that Sylvia had just handed him. He knew he didn't want to try and explain to her what he was thinking. It would have struck him as impossible, were it not for his closet, which he had grown to accept. He couldn't imagine being able to explain it to Sylvia.
> 
> The distinctive sound of ice cubes landing in fine crystal went unnoticed by Henry. Sylvia poured Henry a scotch rocks; she hadn't asked what he wanted, because the look on his face was one of complete concentration. She had seen it on her father's face many times, and knew that it was best not to break his train of thought. With the grace of a cat she set the drink on a coaster in front of Henry.
> 
> Henry was staring at the bookshelves behind the desk, but it looked like he was seeing past them, off to the horizon. Off to the ends of the earth for all she knew. A minute passed and slowly Henry reached out, slowly picked up the scotch, and took a sip. He didn't change his stare, but said, "Thanks, this is excellent."
> 
> Sylvia whispered, "You're welcome." She had returned to the desk and was watching him, completely intrigued by his motionlessness. It was as if she stared into his eyes hard enough, she might see what he was thinking.
> 
> The deafening silence was shattered when Henry asked, "May I see your father's lab?"
> 
> "Sure." Sylvia said, startled at the suddenness of his question. She stood up, grabbed her drink, and headed into the hall. Henry followed, taking sips of his drink as he walked. They crossed the entryway; headed down a hall that was the mirror image of the one they had just left. Henry was no longer paying attention to the art. Before they got to the end, Sylvia opened the last door on the left, and Henry followed her through.
> 
> The room was long and rectangular; they passed through it, to a door at the far end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which headed down. Though Henry was still deep in thought, he did notice that they seemed to be going down more than just one story. It felt like two or three. They had passed a small door and continued on until they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Sylvia lifted the latch and pushed the door open. The hallway was entirely made of stone and felt like a dungeon, though it was lit with modern lighting. Henry felt he should be carrying a torch.
> 
> Sylvia paused at the door at the end of the hall. "I haven't been down here since the explosion. If you don't mind, I will stay outside." She leaned down and pulled a flashlight out of a little wooden box sitting by the door. She handed it to Henry.
> 
> "I understand." He said, clicking on the light. He opened the door and walked into the lab. There was a burnt smell, but it wasn't the same as his office, it was more of a sulfur smell. The room was a large and circular in shape, with a very high domed ceiling. It looked like there had been three workstations around a center area where there must have been something massive. All that remained now was a crater. The edges of the room had piles of equipment, glass and wood, which had been blasted out from the center. There were large bits of the ceiling on the floor. The basic structure still seemed sound, but the lab and its contents had been turned to a pile of rubble.
> 
> Henry walked all the way around the room. He didn't see anything helpful, so he turned off the flashlight and put it back in the box by the door. He had something he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. He already knew that Sylvia wasn't tuned into her father's work, but he had a theory, a crazy theory, so he decided to ease into the question.
> 
> "Was your father alone when the accident happened?"
> 
> Sylvia said, "Yes, he always worked alone."
> 
> "Were you home when it happened?" Henry asked, lowering his voice slightly.
> 
> "I was shopping at Macy's, when Winston called and told me what had happened."
> 
> "Winston?" Henry asked.
> 
> "He manages the house, you met him earlier." She said, giving a heavy sigh, as she remembered getting the call.
> 
> "Winston found the body, I mean, er, your father?" Henry asked, stumbling a bit with his words. That was the question he wanted to ask, but had hoped to be able to do it more delicately.
> 
> "We never found a body. Everything was destroyed in the explosion. He was the first one down here, if that is what you mean." She said.
> 
> "And you don't have any idea what he was working on?" Henry asked, though he knew the answer.
> 
> "No idea at all."
> 
> Henry had his answer. He was developing a theory, but was a long way from figuring out where he was going to find the next clue. He needed to get the journal to the district attorney and to find the key that would unravel its contents. He was sure that there was something in this house that would point him in the right direction. He hoped he would be able to spot it. He decided to head back to Mr. Alexander's office and take a closer look at the books. Every clue had been very subtle, he was sure that trend would continue. He would need to talk to Winston.


don´t go crazy like a shopaholic
but indeed have a fun visit

Dennis


----------



## JohnGray

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Lab*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sylvia looked at Henry, and cocked her head to the side. It was obvious to her that he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he suddenly felt like he had to sit down.
> "Are you ok? Would you like a drink?" she asked.
> 
> "I am fine, thank-you, and yes please." Henry said, still looking at the back of Bobby's card and the business card that Sylvia had just handed him. He knew he didn't want to try and explain to her what he was thinking. It would have struck him as impossible, were it not for his closet, which he had grown to accept. He couldn't imagine being able to explain it to Sylvia.
> 
> The distinctive sound of ice cubes landing in fine crystal went unnoticed by Henry. Sylvia poured Henry a scotch rocks; she hadn't asked what he wanted, because the look on his face was one of complete concentration. She had seen it on her father's face many times, and knew that it was best not to break his train of thought. With the grace of a cat she set the drink on a coaster in front of Henry.
> 
> Henry was staring at the bookshelves behind the desk, but it looked like he was seeing past them, off to the horizon. Off to the ends of the earth for all she knew. A minute passed and slowly Henry reached out, slowly picked up the scotch, and took a sip. He didn't change his stare, but said, "Thanks, this is excellent."
> 
> Sylvia whispered, "You're welcome." She had returned to the desk and was watching him, completely intrigued by his motionlessness. It was as if she stared into his eyes hard enough, she might see what he was thinking.
> 
> The deafening silence was shattered when Henry asked, "May I see your father's lab?"
> 
> "Sure." Sylvia said, startled at the suddenness of his question. She stood up, grabbed her drink, and headed into the hall. Henry followed, taking sips of his drink as he walked. They crossed the entryway; headed down a hall that was the mirror image of the one they had just left. Henry was no longer paying attention to the art. Before they got to the end, Sylvia opened the last door on the left, and Henry followed her through.
> 
> The room was long and rectangular; they passed through it, to a door at the far end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which headed down. Though Henry was still deep in thought, he did notice that they seemed to be going down more than just one story. It felt like two or three. They had passed a small door and continued on until they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Sylvia lifted the latch and pushed the door open. The hallway was entirely made of stone and felt like a dungeon, though it was lit with modern lighting. Henry felt he should be carrying a torch.
> 
> Sylvia paused at the door at the end of the hall. "I haven't been down here since the explosion. If you don't mind, I will stay outside." She leaned down and pulled a flashlight out of a little wooden box sitting by the door. She handed it to Henry.
> 
> "I understand." He said, clicking on the light. He opened the door and walked into the lab. There was a burnt smell, but it wasn't the same as his office, it was more of a sulfur smell. The room was a large and circular in shape, with a very high domed ceiling. It looked like there had been three workstations around a center area where there must have been something massive. All that remained now was a crater. The edges of the room had piles of equipment, glass and wood, which had been blasted out from the center. There were large bits of the ceiling on the floor. The basic structure still seemed sound, but the lab and its contents had been turned to a pile of rubble.
> 
> Henry walked all the way around the room. He didn't see anything helpful, so he turned off the flashlight and put it back in the box by the door. He had something he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. He already knew that Sylvia wasn't tuned into her father's work, but he had a theory, a crazy theory, so he decided to ease into the question.
> 
> "Was your father alone when the accident happened?"
> 
> Sylvia said, "Yes, he always worked alone."
> 
> "Were you home when it happened?" Henry asked, lowering his voice slightly.
> 
> "I was shopping at Macy's, when Winston called and told me what had happened."
> 
> "Winston?" Henry asked.
> 
> "He manages the house, you met him earlier." She said, giving a heavy sigh, as she remembered getting the call.
> 
> "Winston found the body, I mean, er, your father?" Henry asked, stumbling a bit with his words. That was the question he wanted to ask, but had hoped to be able to do it more delicately.
> 
> "We never found a body. Everything was destroyed in the explosion. He was the first one down here, if that is what you mean." She said.
> 
> "And you don't have any idea what he was working on?" Henry asked, though he knew the answer.
> 
> "No idea at all."
> 
> Henry had his answer. He was developing a theory, but was a long way from figuring out where he was going to find the next clue. He needed to get the journal to the district attorney and to find the key that would unravel its contents. He was sure that there was something in this house that would point him in the right direction. He hoped he would be able to spot it. He decided to head back to Mr. Alexander's office and take a closer look at the books. Every clue had been very subtle, he was sure that trend would continue. He would need to talk to Winston.


Shop 'til ya drop!! *;^)* And have a good time!!!


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Lab*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sylvia looked at Henry, and cocked her head to the side. It was obvious to her that he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he suddenly felt like he had to sit down.
> "Are you ok? Would you like a drink?" she asked.
> 
> "I am fine, thank-you, and yes please." Henry said, still looking at the back of Bobby's card and the business card that Sylvia had just handed him. He knew he didn't want to try and explain to her what he was thinking. It would have struck him as impossible, were it not for his closet, which he had grown to accept. He couldn't imagine being able to explain it to Sylvia.
> 
> The distinctive sound of ice cubes landing in fine crystal went unnoticed by Henry. Sylvia poured Henry a scotch rocks; she hadn't asked what he wanted, because the look on his face was one of complete concentration. She had seen it on her father's face many times, and knew that it was best not to break his train of thought. With the grace of a cat she set the drink on a coaster in front of Henry.
> 
> Henry was staring at the bookshelves behind the desk, but it looked like he was seeing past them, off to the horizon. Off to the ends of the earth for all she knew. A minute passed and slowly Henry reached out, slowly picked up the scotch, and took a sip. He didn't change his stare, but said, "Thanks, this is excellent."
> 
> Sylvia whispered, "You're welcome." She had returned to the desk and was watching him, completely intrigued by his motionlessness. It was as if she stared into his eyes hard enough, she might see what he was thinking.
> 
> The deafening silence was shattered when Henry asked, "May I see your father's lab?"
> 
> "Sure." Sylvia said, startled at the suddenness of his question. She stood up, grabbed her drink, and headed into the hall. Henry followed, taking sips of his drink as he walked. They crossed the entryway; headed down a hall that was the mirror image of the one they had just left. Henry was no longer paying attention to the art. Before they got to the end, Sylvia opened the last door on the left, and Henry followed her through.
> 
> The room was long and rectangular; they passed through it, to a door at the far end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which headed down. Though Henry was still deep in thought, he did notice that they seemed to be going down more than just one story. It felt like two or three. They had passed a small door and continued on until they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Sylvia lifted the latch and pushed the door open. The hallway was entirely made of stone and felt like a dungeon, though it was lit with modern lighting. Henry felt he should be carrying a torch.
> 
> Sylvia paused at the door at the end of the hall. "I haven't been down here since the explosion. If you don't mind, I will stay outside." She leaned down and pulled a flashlight out of a little wooden box sitting by the door. She handed it to Henry.
> 
> "I understand." He said, clicking on the light. He opened the door and walked into the lab. There was a burnt smell, but it wasn't the same as his office, it was more of a sulfur smell. The room was a large and circular in shape, with a very high domed ceiling. It looked like there had been three workstations around a center area where there must have been something massive. All that remained now was a crater. The edges of the room had piles of equipment, glass and wood, which had been blasted out from the center. There were large bits of the ceiling on the floor. The basic structure still seemed sound, but the lab and its contents had been turned to a pile of rubble.
> 
> Henry walked all the way around the room. He didn't see anything helpful, so he turned off the flashlight and put it back in the box by the door. He had something he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. He already knew that Sylvia wasn't tuned into her father's work, but he had a theory, a crazy theory, so he decided to ease into the question.
> 
> "Was your father alone when the accident happened?"
> 
> Sylvia said, "Yes, he always worked alone."
> 
> "Were you home when it happened?" Henry asked, lowering his voice slightly.
> 
> "I was shopping at Macy's, when Winston called and told me what had happened."
> 
> "Winston?" Henry asked.
> 
> "He manages the house, you met him earlier." She said, giving a heavy sigh, as she remembered getting the call.
> 
> "Winston found the body, I mean, er, your father?" Henry asked, stumbling a bit with his words. That was the question he wanted to ask, but had hoped to be able to do it more delicately.
> 
> "We never found a body. Everything was destroyed in the explosion. He was the first one down here, if that is what you mean." She said.
> 
> "And you don't have any idea what he was working on?" Henry asked, though he knew the answer.
> 
> "No idea at all."
> 
> Henry had his answer. He was developing a theory, but was a long way from figuring out where he was going to find the next clue. He needed to get the journal to the district attorney and to find the key that would unravel its contents. He was sure that there was something in this house that would point him in the right direction. He hoped he would be able to spot it. He decided to head back to Mr. Alexander's office and take a closer look at the books. Every clue had been very subtle, he was sure that trend would continue. He would need to talk to Winston.


Toy stores for grown-ups. Have fun. Maybe buy some good layout tools or Wixey angle stuff. Anything!


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Lab*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sylvia looked at Henry, and cocked her head to the side. It was obvious to her that he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he suddenly felt like he had to sit down.
> "Are you ok? Would you like a drink?" she asked.
> 
> "I am fine, thank-you, and yes please." Henry said, still looking at the back of Bobby's card and the business card that Sylvia had just handed him. He knew he didn't want to try and explain to her what he was thinking. It would have struck him as impossible, were it not for his closet, which he had grown to accept. He couldn't imagine being able to explain it to Sylvia.
> 
> The distinctive sound of ice cubes landing in fine crystal went unnoticed by Henry. Sylvia poured Henry a scotch rocks; she hadn't asked what he wanted, because the look on his face was one of complete concentration. She had seen it on her father's face many times, and knew that it was best not to break his train of thought. With the grace of a cat she set the drink on a coaster in front of Henry.
> 
> Henry was staring at the bookshelves behind the desk, but it looked like he was seeing past them, off to the horizon. Off to the ends of the earth for all she knew. A minute passed and slowly Henry reached out, slowly picked up the scotch, and took a sip. He didn't change his stare, but said, "Thanks, this is excellent."
> 
> Sylvia whispered, "You're welcome." She had returned to the desk and was watching him, completely intrigued by his motionlessness. It was as if she stared into his eyes hard enough, she might see what he was thinking.
> 
> The deafening silence was shattered when Henry asked, "May I see your father's lab?"
> 
> "Sure." Sylvia said, startled at the suddenness of his question. She stood up, grabbed her drink, and headed into the hall. Henry followed, taking sips of his drink as he walked. They crossed the entryway; headed down a hall that was the mirror image of the one they had just left. Henry was no longer paying attention to the art. Before they got to the end, Sylvia opened the last door on the left, and Henry followed her through.
> 
> The room was long and rectangular; they passed through it, to a door at the far end. This door led to a spiral staircase, which headed down. Though Henry was still deep in thought, he did notice that they seemed to be going down more than just one story. It felt like two or three. They had passed a small door and continued on until they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Sylvia lifted the latch and pushed the door open. The hallway was entirely made of stone and felt like a dungeon, though it was lit with modern lighting. Henry felt he should be carrying a torch.
> 
> Sylvia paused at the door at the end of the hall. "I haven't been down here since the explosion. If you don't mind, I will stay outside." She leaned down and pulled a flashlight out of a little wooden box sitting by the door. She handed it to Henry.
> 
> "I understand." He said, clicking on the light. He opened the door and walked into the lab. There was a burnt smell, but it wasn't the same as his office, it was more of a sulfur smell. The room was a large and circular in shape, with a very high domed ceiling. It looked like there had been three workstations around a center area where there must have been something massive. All that remained now was a crater. The edges of the room had piles of equipment, glass and wood, which had been blasted out from the center. There were large bits of the ceiling on the floor. The basic structure still seemed sound, but the lab and its contents had been turned to a pile of rubble.
> 
> Henry walked all the way around the room. He didn't see anything helpful, so he turned off the flashlight and put it back in the box by the door. He had something he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. He already knew that Sylvia wasn't tuned into her father's work, but he had a theory, a crazy theory, so he decided to ease into the question.
> 
> "Was your father alone when the accident happened?"
> 
> Sylvia said, "Yes, he always worked alone."
> 
> "Were you home when it happened?" Henry asked, lowering his voice slightly.
> 
> "I was shopping at Macy's, when Winston called and told me what had happened."
> 
> "Winston?" Henry asked.
> 
> "He manages the house, you met him earlier." She said, giving a heavy sigh, as she remembered getting the call.
> 
> "Winston found the body, I mean, er, your father?" Henry asked, stumbling a bit with his words. That was the question he wanted to ask, but had hoped to be able to do it more delicately.
> 
> "We never found a body. Everything was destroyed in the explosion. He was the first one down here, if that is what you mean." She said.
> 
> "And you don't have any idea what he was working on?" Henry asked, though he knew the answer.
> 
> "No idea at all."
> 
> Henry had his answer. He was developing a theory, but was a long way from figuring out where he was going to find the next clue. He needed to get the journal to the district attorney and to find the key that would unravel its contents. He was sure that there was something in this house that would point him in the right direction. He hoped he would be able to spot it. He decided to head back to Mr. Alexander's office and take a closer look at the books. Every clue had been very subtle, he was sure that trend would continue. He would need to talk to Winston.


Have fun, Brian. I would tell you to try to keep your credit card in your wallet but I know that every time I pass my local Woodcraft store I always seem to come out of there substantially poorer.

I am looking forward to the installment.


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Women of Ames*










Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.

The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.

Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.

The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.

Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.

While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.










Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.

The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.

The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Women of Ames*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.
> 
> The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.
> 
> Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.
> 
> The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.
> 
> Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.
> 
> While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
> The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.
> 
> The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.
> 
> The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


That is not the entire picture. Normally I am able to edit the pictures to make them small enough to fit on here. Sadly, I am not at home with my computer and photoshop. Also it is getting late. Sorry.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *The Women of Ames*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.
> 
> The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.
> 
> Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.
> 
> The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.
> 
> Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.
> 
> While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
> The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.
> 
> The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.
> 
> The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


Thanks for sharing that story about your past and your love of woodworking. Now I know what the candle part is from but what about the eco part? Did I miss something? Which brings me to another question, what do you do for a living Brian if you don't mind the question? Anyway, I'd have to agree that woodworking beats any job I ever had but, I don't do it for a living either. I do love a finely sanded piece of wood too. Have you ever tried mahogany or something really hard like marble wood? Oohh baby. By the way, today I unclamped my first panel from my new panel caul and it was megaflat, the glue didn't stick to the caul because I covered them with tape, and I found out you don't really need two nuts to use the threaded rod instead of the bolts. Beats anything at work for at least three years.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *The Women of Ames*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.
> 
> The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.
> 
> Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.
> 
> The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.
> 
> Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.
> 
> While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
> The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.
> 
> The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.
> 
> The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


Basswood is nice to carve. A chip carved box lid is a good start if that's where you think you are going.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *The Women of Ames*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.
> 
> The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.
> 
> Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.
> 
> The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.
> 
> Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.
> 
> While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
> The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.
> 
> The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.
> 
> The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


By the way…. I was wondering where all my mixed tapes from the '80s ended up…


----------



## OneTimeTreeMan

Ecocandle said:


> *The Women of Ames*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.
> 
> The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.
> 
> Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.
> 
> The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.
> 
> Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.
> 
> While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
> The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.
> 
> The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.
> 
> The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


Always a pleasure reading your blogs. If you are not already an author ….......


----------



## ScienceNerd

Ecocandle said:


> *The Women of Ames*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.
> 
> The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.
> 
> Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.
> 
> The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.
> 
> Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.
> 
> While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
> The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.
> 
> The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.
> 
> The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


Hi, Ecocandle…was fun to hear about Ames. I'm an ISU alum (Chemistry '03) and was even a member of that rag-tag band you referred to. I'd like to think that my tastes in both music and wood have matured since then , but I still have fond memories of Ames. Hope your winter hasn't been too awful this year…


----------



## Hoakie

Ecocandle said:


> *The Women of Ames*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.
> 
> The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.
> 
> Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.
> 
> The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.
> 
> Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.
> 
> While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
> The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.
> 
> The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.
> 
> The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


I too am an ISU grad (Ph.D. Analytical Chemistry '98). Science nerd, I was done with teaching recitations and labs by spring '99 so it sounds like we just missed each other.Love the Hilton magic!! Go Clones!


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *The Women of Ames*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.
> 
> The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.
> 
> Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.
> 
> The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.
> 
> Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.
> 
> While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
> The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.
> 
> The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.
> 
> The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


Glad to hear you are enjoying your woodworking Brian. I feel much the same way as you do, but I suspect that if one had to make a living at it there would be repetitious routine boring work just like any other job. That's what is so nice about it being a hobby. We can do whatever we feel like doing and we are the customer (that's not always good). Dealing with intangibles all day can leave one feeling a little empty. Woodworking can satisfy our need for hands-on action and a resulting 3 dimensional object to be admired by one and all. That's my take on it anyway.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Women of Ames*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sitting in the twenty-fourth row, seat 3, I prepare to watch the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Missouri Tigers in women's basketball. To those who don't follow NCAA division I women's basketball, the Cyclones are one of the top programs in the country. They are consistently in the top 20, and are currently ranked 13th. When attending an ISU game, be it men or women's basketball, one is sure to be impressed by 'Hilton Magic'. The magic comes from the boisterous cheers of the fans, who I believe, supported the women enough to have the 4th or 5th highest attendance in the nation last year.
> 
> The style of play is fun to watch. In their last home game, against Baylor, the women made 16 three pointers from only 33 attempts. I look forward to the battle.
> 
> Sitting in row 24 and looking down at the polished hard wood floor, I think about my days working at Hilton Coliseum. I was on the custodial staff in college and loved working the women's games. Back then, the crowds were much smaller, so it was an easy gig, plus I got to watch the games. I think about days working custodial, about studying economics, and playing speed chess every chance I could. I had no idea what life would be like after college.
> 
> The path chosen is markedly less interesting than the one I am on now. I ran a candle manufacturing plant, worked as an analyst at GEICO, and spent 3 years building spaces in virtual worlds. Each of those paths were interesting, but far less thrilling than running my hand across a piece of finely sanded hard maple or oak. Feeling the smoothness and marveling at the beauty of the wood. Woodworking, whether it is creating a jig for routing, reading a magazine or book on the subject, or wondering the isles at The Woodsmith Shop, it is the most fun I have ever had. And let me tell you, there have been some pretty fun times. Some of those times involved wearing a Santa suit, going on a bar crawl, and drinking more vodka than a Russian sailor on shore leave.
> 
> Admittedly, I remember more of the details from my woodworking, so it may not be a fair comparison. I do know that each day of the journey seems better than the day before.
> 
> While I tap my toes to the ISU band's rendition of Dexie's Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen', I review the day. Since I was in Des Moines and away from my, and I use the term loosely, workshop, I couldn't work on my router table. I could, however, go to the Woodsmith Store. I had one goal, to buy some practice wood. When I purchased the bevy of DVDs from Taunton Press, I had included in the mix, one that dealt with the art of chip carving. I don't know much of anything about chip carving presently. I do know that, for a novice, practicing on hard woods isn't at all enjoyable. In fact, it boarders on impossible.
> The helpful people at The Woodsmith Store, pointed me to some small ¼ inch basswood. I bought some of the basswood and a couple of magazines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time was not on my side. I didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked. For you see, I was in desperate need of an 'Emergency Hair Cut'. In just the nick of time, I pulled into Sports Clip, where Katie, rushed in and performed the incredibly complicated and difficult, hairectomy. If I had been twenty minutes later, I probably wouldn't have made it. Katie was brilliant! Cute as a button, she showed not the slightest bit of fear. I left feeling confident that I would no longer frighten small children or cause, normally friendly dogs, to snarl and growl.
> 
> The crowd began to cheer. The game was still 15 minutes from tipping, but Hilton was paying its respects to one of the greatest women's basketball players in ISU history. Angie Welle, number 32, ran up and down the floor from 1999-2003, and broke scores of records. It was on her shoulders and those of the team from 2000, who beat Uconn, to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, that Bill Finley built his nationally respected basketball powerhouse.
> 
> The number 32 is unfurled from the rafters, the crowd cheers, and Angie Welle returns to sit with her friends, family and former teammates, in the stands. The current starters jump out to an 18 - 2 lead. Go Cyclones!


Jim,

The Eco comes from how we made the candles. They were made from soybean oil, as opposed to parifin, which is a petroleum by product. Hence the Eco in Ecocandle. I make my living doing marketing and social media stuff for a company who does SasS (Software as a Service). I like my job.

ScienceNerd,

Glad to meet you. The winter hasn't been bad at all. I moved back to Iowa from the DC metro area, this past summer, so my winter has been much better than my old roommate's.

Hoakie,

It is nice to meet you too. I am pleased that there are some Cyclones reading the blog. I have a few friends who read, and they are all Hawk fans, of all things, so this evens it up considerably.

Stefang,

I can't say if I would enjoy it as much, if I needed to do woodworking, to make a living. For now, I don't really have any plans at building things to sell. I just want to build fun stuff for me to use.

Thanks All,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Next Clue*



Henry walked briskly back through the house, towards the office. Sylvia had difficulty keeping up. The moment he crossed into the office, he stopped and scanned everything, hoping to let the room tell him where to go next. The room wasn't at all talkative. He turned to his left, and started to carefully read the titles, one by one. Mr. Alexander's methodology was to group his book by subject and then within each subject they were alphabetical. It was very much a library.

There was a massive section on chess and next to it was a section on puzzles. Henry stopped, sure that the puzzle he was unraveling, must have a clue within these volumes. He pulled each book off the shelf, flipped through it, and looked for anything out of the ordinary. Sylvia watched him for a while, until her curiosity finally got the best of her and she asked, "What are you looking for?"

Henry had forgotten that he wasn't alone, and realized she might be able to help. "I am not sure, but I think there may be a clue here, that will help…" He paused before he finished, as he hadn't been entirely truthful with Miss Culberson. She had hired him and paid him well, to find the journal, which he had done, and now he needed to make a decision. He continued, "Sylvia, can I trust you?"

She thought the question was rather strange. "Yes. Why would you think you couldn't?" She backed up, sensing that there was something going on, something she might not like. "Have you found the journal?!" Sylvia demanded.

Henry knew that he was walking a fine line. He knew that he needed Sylvia, he couldn't let her fly off into a rage, and he must choose his words carefully. He started with, "I have learned something about your father. Please sit down."

"Have you found the Journal? I have paid you well. I demand to know what you are up to! Can you trust me?! The nerve, can I trust you?" She was now in a rage.

It became apparent that he had done a poor job of choosing his first words. Henry was noting, if not quick on his feet, he took two steps towards her, tightened up his face, "Listen here sweetheart, I found your story to be thin, very thin, I have seen dames like you, and you are all alike. You can either park your cute little butt in that chair and listen to what I have to say, or you can go to hell, and try to find your father, on your own!"

This change in approach hit the mark. She was stunned by the last bit and stammered, "Did you say find my father?" She seemed unsteady and Henry helped her to the couch. She was calmer now, so Henry lowered his voice.

"Yes. I don't believe he was killed in the lab. I don't have any proof, and I probably shouldn't have gotten your hopes up, but I needed you to listen." He said and then paused. She didn't say anything, so he continued, "First of all, I don't believe that Mr. Alexander was keeping the journal about your father's business, but they were working together to code the journal, to keep it a secret."

This was a bit of a relief, but it didn't make any sense to Sylvia, so she asked, "They were working together, but why would an accountant need my father's help? "

"The next bit may be hard to understand, perhaps impossible, but I believe that Mr. Alexander had discovered some information, some proof if you will, that would bring down one of the city's most dangerous criminals. I believe that your father and Mr. Alexander were planning to turn the journal and its proof, over to the DA, when it was leaked what they were doing. It was then that they both realized the danger. I believe they staged the explosion. It was then…" Henry stopped when he heard the footsteps down the hall.

Sylvia was stunned, but immediately filled with hope. She didn't understand why he had stopped talking, as she hadn't heard the footsteps. "Yes, go on, it was the, what?"

"Winston is coming." Henry said.

"Oh you can trust Winston; he has been with the family since we moved here." She stood up, and ran out to Winston, "Henry thinks that father may still be alive!" she said with glee.

Winston remained unfazed and looked at Henry and said, "You are as clever as master Culberson had hoped."

Sylvia looked shocked, "You knew! Winston!" She was angry, but also thrilled, "It is true then?" She was almost shouting.

"Madame, you must lower your voice. I will try to explain."

Henry let Winston explain, as he went back to the stacks. He went through each of the puzzle books and then it occurred to him that perhaps Winston knew where the next clue was. "Winston, do you have a message for me?"

"Yes sir. Mr. Culberson told me to let you know that he was very interested in animals of late."

"That is the message?" Henry said, hoping for more, but not surprised by its cryptic nature. Undaunted he continued through the stacks until he found a section on the animal kingdom. There were dozens of books. A few books into the section, Henry noticed that these weren't in alphabetical order by author, but were ordered by species, starting with 'Ethel The Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying', and ending with a thick book about zebras. It seemed that the section contained all the books that had anything to do with animals, fiction and non-fiction combined. Next to the book on beavers, was a book on cows then a book about crows.

Henry paused, could that be the clue, as a group of crows are called a murder. He opened it and flipped through the pages. If the clue was there, he didn't get it. Henry decided to continue looking. The Tage Frid clue was one that only he would understand, so he was expecting that the next clue would be similar, and suddenly there it was, a book entitled, 'Fox Habits', sitting to the right of a book 'A Gaggle of Geese'. It was out of order, just by one book, but that, combined with the last present from the closet, meant this had to be the book.

Henry opened to the title page and read the inscription.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Next Clue*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry walked briskly back through the house, towards the office. Sylvia had difficulty keeping up. The moment he crossed into the office, he stopped and scanned everything, hoping to let the room tell him where to go next. The room wasn't at all talkative. He turned to his left, and started to carefully read the titles, one by one. Mr. Alexander's methodology was to group his book by subject and then within each subject they were alphabetical. It was very much a library.
> 
> There was a massive section on chess and next to it was a section on puzzles. Henry stopped, sure that the puzzle he was unraveling, must have a clue within these volumes. He pulled each book off the shelf, flipped through it, and looked for anything out of the ordinary. Sylvia watched him for a while, until her curiosity finally got the best of her and she asked, "What are you looking for?"
> 
> Henry had forgotten that he wasn't alone, and realized she might be able to help. "I am not sure, but I think there may be a clue here, that will help…" He paused before he finished, as he hadn't been entirely truthful with Miss Culberson. She had hired him and paid him well, to find the journal, which he had done, and now he needed to make a decision. He continued, "Sylvia, can I trust you?"
> 
> She thought the question was rather strange. "Yes. Why would you think you couldn't?" She backed up, sensing that there was something going on, something she might not like. "Have you found the journal?!" Sylvia demanded.
> 
> Henry knew that he was walking a fine line. He knew that he needed Sylvia, he couldn't let her fly off into a rage, and he must choose his words carefully. He started with, "I have learned something about your father. Please sit down."
> 
> "Have you found the Journal? I have paid you well. I demand to know what you are up to! Can you trust me?! The nerve, can I trust you?" She was now in a rage.
> 
> It became apparent that he had done a poor job of choosing his first words. Henry was noting, if not quick on his feet, he took two steps towards her, tightened up his face, "Listen here sweetheart, I found your story to be thin, very thin, I have seen dames like you, and you are all alike. You can either park your cute little butt in that chair and listen to what I have to say, or you can go to hell, and try to find your father, on your own!"
> 
> This change in approach hit the mark. She was stunned by the last bit and stammered, "Did you say find my father?" She seemed unsteady and Henry helped her to the couch. She was calmer now, so Henry lowered his voice.
> 
> "Yes. I don't believe he was killed in the lab. I don't have any proof, and I probably shouldn't have gotten your hopes up, but I needed you to listen." He said and then paused. She didn't say anything, so he continued, "First of all, I don't believe that Mr. Alexander was keeping the journal about your father's business, but they were working together to code the journal, to keep it a secret."
> 
> This was a bit of a relief, but it didn't make any sense to Sylvia, so she asked, "They were working together, but why would an accountant need my father's help? "
> 
> "The next bit may be hard to understand, perhaps impossible, but I believe that Mr. Alexander had discovered some information, some proof if you will, that would bring down one of the city's most dangerous criminals. I believe that your father and Mr. Alexander were planning to turn the journal and its proof, over to the DA, when it was leaked what they were doing. It was then that they both realized the danger. I believe they staged the explosion. It was then…" Henry stopped when he heard the footsteps down the hall.
> 
> Sylvia was stunned, but immediately filled with hope. She didn't understand why he had stopped talking, as she hadn't heard the footsteps. "Yes, go on, it was the, what?"
> 
> "Winston is coming." Henry said.
> 
> "Oh you can trust Winston; he has been with the family since we moved here." She stood up, and ran out to Winston, "Henry thinks that father may still be alive!" she said with glee.
> 
> Winston remained unfazed and looked at Henry and said, "You are as clever as master Culberson had hoped."
> 
> Sylvia looked shocked, "You knew! Winston!" She was angry, but also thrilled, "It is true then?" She was almost shouting.
> 
> "Madame, you must lower your voice. I will try to explain."
> 
> Henry let Winston explain, as he went back to the stacks. He went through each of the puzzle books and then it occurred to him that perhaps Winston knew where the next clue was. "Winston, do you have a message for me?"
> 
> "Yes sir. Mr. Culberson told me to let you know that he was very interested in animals of late."
> 
> "That is the message?" Henry said, hoping for more, but not surprised by its cryptic nature. Undaunted he continued through the stacks until he found a section on the animal kingdom. There were dozens of books. A few books into the section, Henry noticed that these weren't in alphabetical order by author, but were ordered by species, starting with 'Ethel The Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying', and ending with a thick book about zebras. It seemed that the section contained all the books that had anything to do with animals, fiction and non-fiction combined. Next to the book on beavers, was a book on cows then a book about crows.
> 
> Henry paused, could that be the clue, as a group of crows are called a murder. He opened it and flipped through the pages. If the clue was there, he didn't get it. Henry decided to continue looking. The Tage Frid clue was one that only he would understand, so he was expecting that the next clue would be similar, and suddenly there it was, a book entitled, 'Fox Habits', sitting to the right of a book 'A Gaggle of Geese'. It was out of order, just by one book, but that, combined with the last present from the closet, meant this had to be the book.
> 
> Henry opened to the title page and read the inscription.


How ironic that you pick a hobby that has you obsessed with right angles and write stories with more unexpected twists and turns than a 90 Lb. Chinese contortionist having a really good spine day. Thanks also for the comments about your work life. It just hit me that you must have learned about ToC at the candle factory and I wonder how it worked for you? It only has caused me grief because nobody likes to think they're part of the problem because they want to be efficient in all things.

Best,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Next Clue*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry walked briskly back through the house, towards the office. Sylvia had difficulty keeping up. The moment he crossed into the office, he stopped and scanned everything, hoping to let the room tell him where to go next. The room wasn't at all talkative. He turned to his left, and started to carefully read the titles, one by one. Mr. Alexander's methodology was to group his book by subject and then within each subject they were alphabetical. It was very much a library.
> 
> There was a massive section on chess and next to it was a section on puzzles. Henry stopped, sure that the puzzle he was unraveling, must have a clue within these volumes. He pulled each book off the shelf, flipped through it, and looked for anything out of the ordinary. Sylvia watched him for a while, until her curiosity finally got the best of her and she asked, "What are you looking for?"
> 
> Henry had forgotten that he wasn't alone, and realized she might be able to help. "I am not sure, but I think there may be a clue here, that will help…" He paused before he finished, as he hadn't been entirely truthful with Miss Culberson. She had hired him and paid him well, to find the journal, which he had done, and now he needed to make a decision. He continued, "Sylvia, can I trust you?"
> 
> She thought the question was rather strange. "Yes. Why would you think you couldn't?" She backed up, sensing that there was something going on, something she might not like. "Have you found the journal?!" Sylvia demanded.
> 
> Henry knew that he was walking a fine line. He knew that he needed Sylvia, he couldn't let her fly off into a rage, and he must choose his words carefully. He started with, "I have learned something about your father. Please sit down."
> 
> "Have you found the Journal? I have paid you well. I demand to know what you are up to! Can you trust me?! The nerve, can I trust you?" She was now in a rage.
> 
> It became apparent that he had done a poor job of choosing his first words. Henry was noting, if not quick on his feet, he took two steps towards her, tightened up his face, "Listen here sweetheart, I found your story to be thin, very thin, I have seen dames like you, and you are all alike. You can either park your cute little butt in that chair and listen to what I have to say, or you can go to hell, and try to find your father, on your own!"
> 
> This change in approach hit the mark. She was stunned by the last bit and stammered, "Did you say find my father?" She seemed unsteady and Henry helped her to the couch. She was calmer now, so Henry lowered his voice.
> 
> "Yes. I don't believe he was killed in the lab. I don't have any proof, and I probably shouldn't have gotten your hopes up, but I needed you to listen." He said and then paused. She didn't say anything, so he continued, "First of all, I don't believe that Mr. Alexander was keeping the journal about your father's business, but they were working together to code the journal, to keep it a secret."
> 
> This was a bit of a relief, but it didn't make any sense to Sylvia, so she asked, "They were working together, but why would an accountant need my father's help? "
> 
> "The next bit may be hard to understand, perhaps impossible, but I believe that Mr. Alexander had discovered some information, some proof if you will, that would bring down one of the city's most dangerous criminals. I believe that your father and Mr. Alexander were planning to turn the journal and its proof, over to the DA, when it was leaked what they were doing. It was then that they both realized the danger. I believe they staged the explosion. It was then…" Henry stopped when he heard the footsteps down the hall.
> 
> Sylvia was stunned, but immediately filled with hope. She didn't understand why he had stopped talking, as she hadn't heard the footsteps. "Yes, go on, it was the, what?"
> 
> "Winston is coming." Henry said.
> 
> "Oh you can trust Winston; he has been with the family since we moved here." She stood up, and ran out to Winston, "Henry thinks that father may still be alive!" she said with glee.
> 
> Winston remained unfazed and looked at Henry and said, "You are as clever as master Culberson had hoped."
> 
> Sylvia looked shocked, "You knew! Winston!" She was angry, but also thrilled, "It is true then?" She was almost shouting.
> 
> "Madame, you must lower your voice. I will try to explain."
> 
> Henry let Winston explain, as he went back to the stacks. He went through each of the puzzle books and then it occurred to him that perhaps Winston knew where the next clue was. "Winston, do you have a message for me?"
> 
> "Yes sir. Mr. Culberson told me to let you know that he was very interested in animals of late."
> 
> "That is the message?" Henry said, hoping for more, but not surprised by its cryptic nature. Undaunted he continued through the stacks until he found a section on the animal kingdom. There were dozens of books. A few books into the section, Henry noticed that these weren't in alphabetical order by author, but were ordered by species, starting with 'Ethel The Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying', and ending with a thick book about zebras. It seemed that the section contained all the books that had anything to do with animals, fiction and non-fiction combined. Next to the book on beavers, was a book on cows then a book about crows.
> 
> Henry paused, could that be the clue, as a group of crows are called a murder. He opened it and flipped through the pages. If the clue was there, he didn't get it. Henry decided to continue looking. The Tage Frid clue was one that only he would understand, so he was expecting that the next clue would be similar, and suddenly there it was, a book entitled, 'Fox Habits', sitting to the right of a book 'A Gaggle of Geese'. It was out of order, just by one book, but that, combined with the last present from the closet, meant this had to be the book.
> 
> Henry opened to the title page and read the inscription.


Jim,

I actually learned about TOC from my father, who is a professor at ISU, and teaches all of the TOC classes. I did use TOC at the plant and was able to triple production throughput, by simply changing the process.

It sounds like you are enjoying the story. I am glad.

Brian


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Next Clue*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry walked briskly back through the house, towards the office. Sylvia had difficulty keeping up. The moment he crossed into the office, he stopped and scanned everything, hoping to let the room tell him where to go next. The room wasn't at all talkative. He turned to his left, and started to carefully read the titles, one by one. Mr. Alexander's methodology was to group his book by subject and then within each subject they were alphabetical. It was very much a library.
> 
> There was a massive section on chess and next to it was a section on puzzles. Henry stopped, sure that the puzzle he was unraveling, must have a clue within these volumes. He pulled each book off the shelf, flipped through it, and looked for anything out of the ordinary. Sylvia watched him for a while, until her curiosity finally got the best of her and she asked, "What are you looking for?"
> 
> Henry had forgotten that he wasn't alone, and realized she might be able to help. "I am not sure, but I think there may be a clue here, that will help…" He paused before he finished, as he hadn't been entirely truthful with Miss Culberson. She had hired him and paid him well, to find the journal, which he had done, and now he needed to make a decision. He continued, "Sylvia, can I trust you?"
> 
> She thought the question was rather strange. "Yes. Why would you think you couldn't?" She backed up, sensing that there was something going on, something she might not like. "Have you found the journal?!" Sylvia demanded.
> 
> Henry knew that he was walking a fine line. He knew that he needed Sylvia, he couldn't let her fly off into a rage, and he must choose his words carefully. He started with, "I have learned something about your father. Please sit down."
> 
> "Have you found the Journal? I have paid you well. I demand to know what you are up to! Can you trust me?! The nerve, can I trust you?" She was now in a rage.
> 
> It became apparent that he had done a poor job of choosing his first words. Henry was noting, if not quick on his feet, he took two steps towards her, tightened up his face, "Listen here sweetheart, I found your story to be thin, very thin, I have seen dames like you, and you are all alike. You can either park your cute little butt in that chair and listen to what I have to say, or you can go to hell, and try to find your father, on your own!"
> 
> This change in approach hit the mark. She was stunned by the last bit and stammered, "Did you say find my father?" She seemed unsteady and Henry helped her to the couch. She was calmer now, so Henry lowered his voice.
> 
> "Yes. I don't believe he was killed in the lab. I don't have any proof, and I probably shouldn't have gotten your hopes up, but I needed you to listen." He said and then paused. She didn't say anything, so he continued, "First of all, I don't believe that Mr. Alexander was keeping the journal about your father's business, but they were working together to code the journal, to keep it a secret."
> 
> This was a bit of a relief, but it didn't make any sense to Sylvia, so she asked, "They were working together, but why would an accountant need my father's help? "
> 
> "The next bit may be hard to understand, perhaps impossible, but I believe that Mr. Alexander had discovered some information, some proof if you will, that would bring down one of the city's most dangerous criminals. I believe that your father and Mr. Alexander were planning to turn the journal and its proof, over to the DA, when it was leaked what they were doing. It was then that they both realized the danger. I believe they staged the explosion. It was then…" Henry stopped when he heard the footsteps down the hall.
> 
> Sylvia was stunned, but immediately filled with hope. She didn't understand why he had stopped talking, as she hadn't heard the footsteps. "Yes, go on, it was the, what?"
> 
> "Winston is coming." Henry said.
> 
> "Oh you can trust Winston; he has been with the family since we moved here." She stood up, and ran out to Winston, "Henry thinks that father may still be alive!" she said with glee.
> 
> Winston remained unfazed and looked at Henry and said, "You are as clever as master Culberson had hoped."
> 
> Sylvia looked shocked, "You knew! Winston!" She was angry, but also thrilled, "It is true then?" She was almost shouting.
> 
> "Madame, you must lower your voice. I will try to explain."
> 
> Henry let Winston explain, as he went back to the stacks. He went through each of the puzzle books and then it occurred to him that perhaps Winston knew where the next clue was. "Winston, do you have a message for me?"
> 
> "Yes sir. Mr. Culberson told me to let you know that he was very interested in animals of late."
> 
> "That is the message?" Henry said, hoping for more, but not surprised by its cryptic nature. Undaunted he continued through the stacks until he found a section on the animal kingdom. There were dozens of books. A few books into the section, Henry noticed that these weren't in alphabetical order by author, but were ordered by species, starting with 'Ethel The Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying', and ending with a thick book about zebras. It seemed that the section contained all the books that had anything to do with animals, fiction and non-fiction combined. Next to the book on beavers, was a book on cows then a book about crows.
> 
> Henry paused, could that be the clue, as a group of crows are called a murder. He opened it and flipped through the pages. If the clue was there, he didn't get it. Henry decided to continue looking. The Tage Frid clue was one that only he would understand, so he was expecting that the next clue would be similar, and suddenly there it was, a book entitled, 'Fox Habits', sitting to the right of a book 'A Gaggle of Geese'. It was out of order, just by one book, but that, combined with the last present from the closet, meant this had to be the book.
> 
> Henry opened to the title page and read the inscription.


I was at ISU from 78-82. What did your father teach and when?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Next Clue*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry walked briskly back through the house, towards the office. Sylvia had difficulty keeping up. The moment he crossed into the office, he stopped and scanned everything, hoping to let the room tell him where to go next. The room wasn't at all talkative. He turned to his left, and started to carefully read the titles, one by one. Mr. Alexander's methodology was to group his book by subject and then within each subject they were alphabetical. It was very much a library.
> 
> There was a massive section on chess and next to it was a section on puzzles. Henry stopped, sure that the puzzle he was unraveling, must have a clue within these volumes. He pulled each book off the shelf, flipped through it, and looked for anything out of the ordinary. Sylvia watched him for a while, until her curiosity finally got the best of her and she asked, "What are you looking for?"
> 
> Henry had forgotten that he wasn't alone, and realized she might be able to help. "I am not sure, but I think there may be a clue here, that will help…" He paused before he finished, as he hadn't been entirely truthful with Miss Culberson. She had hired him and paid him well, to find the journal, which he had done, and now he needed to make a decision. He continued, "Sylvia, can I trust you?"
> 
> She thought the question was rather strange. "Yes. Why would you think you couldn't?" She backed up, sensing that there was something going on, something she might not like. "Have you found the journal?!" Sylvia demanded.
> 
> Henry knew that he was walking a fine line. He knew that he needed Sylvia, he couldn't let her fly off into a rage, and he must choose his words carefully. He started with, "I have learned something about your father. Please sit down."
> 
> "Have you found the Journal? I have paid you well. I demand to know what you are up to! Can you trust me?! The nerve, can I trust you?" She was now in a rage.
> 
> It became apparent that he had done a poor job of choosing his first words. Henry was noting, if not quick on his feet, he took two steps towards her, tightened up his face, "Listen here sweetheart, I found your story to be thin, very thin, I have seen dames like you, and you are all alike. You can either park your cute little butt in that chair and listen to what I have to say, or you can go to hell, and try to find your father, on your own!"
> 
> This change in approach hit the mark. She was stunned by the last bit and stammered, "Did you say find my father?" She seemed unsteady and Henry helped her to the couch. She was calmer now, so Henry lowered his voice.
> 
> "Yes. I don't believe he was killed in the lab. I don't have any proof, and I probably shouldn't have gotten your hopes up, but I needed you to listen." He said and then paused. She didn't say anything, so he continued, "First of all, I don't believe that Mr. Alexander was keeping the journal about your father's business, but they were working together to code the journal, to keep it a secret."
> 
> This was a bit of a relief, but it didn't make any sense to Sylvia, so she asked, "They were working together, but why would an accountant need my father's help? "
> 
> "The next bit may be hard to understand, perhaps impossible, but I believe that Mr. Alexander had discovered some information, some proof if you will, that would bring down one of the city's most dangerous criminals. I believe that your father and Mr. Alexander were planning to turn the journal and its proof, over to the DA, when it was leaked what they were doing. It was then that they both realized the danger. I believe they staged the explosion. It was then…" Henry stopped when he heard the footsteps down the hall.
> 
> Sylvia was stunned, but immediately filled with hope. She didn't understand why he had stopped talking, as she hadn't heard the footsteps. "Yes, go on, it was the, what?"
> 
> "Winston is coming." Henry said.
> 
> "Oh you can trust Winston; he has been with the family since we moved here." She stood up, and ran out to Winston, "Henry thinks that father may still be alive!" she said with glee.
> 
> Winston remained unfazed and looked at Henry and said, "You are as clever as master Culberson had hoped."
> 
> Sylvia looked shocked, "You knew! Winston!" She was angry, but also thrilled, "It is true then?" She was almost shouting.
> 
> "Madame, you must lower your voice. I will try to explain."
> 
> Henry let Winston explain, as he went back to the stacks. He went through each of the puzzle books and then it occurred to him that perhaps Winston knew where the next clue was. "Winston, do you have a message for me?"
> 
> "Yes sir. Mr. Culberson told me to let you know that he was very interested in animals of late."
> 
> "That is the message?" Henry said, hoping for more, but not surprised by its cryptic nature. Undaunted he continued through the stacks until he found a section on the animal kingdom. There were dozens of books. A few books into the section, Henry noticed that these weren't in alphabetical order by author, but were ordered by species, starting with 'Ethel The Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying', and ending with a thick book about zebras. It seemed that the section contained all the books that had anything to do with animals, fiction and non-fiction combined. Next to the book on beavers, was a book on cows then a book about crows.
> 
> Henry paused, could that be the clue, as a group of crows are called a murder. He opened it and flipped through the pages. If the clue was there, he didn't get it. Henry decided to continue looking. The Tage Frid clue was one that only he would understand, so he was expecting that the next clue would be similar, and suddenly there it was, a book entitled, 'Fox Habits', sitting to the right of a book 'A Gaggle of Geese'. It was out of order, just by one book, but that, combined with the last present from the closet, meant this had to be the book.
> 
> Henry opened to the title page and read the inscription.


Dr. Howard Meeks is in the Industrial Engineering department. When you were there he mostly taught grad courses in IE, mostly dealing with linear optimization. For the last 10 or 15 years he has been teaching Theory of Constraints.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Next Clue*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry walked briskly back through the house, towards the office. Sylvia had difficulty keeping up. The moment he crossed into the office, he stopped and scanned everything, hoping to let the room tell him where to go next. The room wasn't at all talkative. He turned to his left, and started to carefully read the titles, one by one. Mr. Alexander's methodology was to group his book by subject and then within each subject they were alphabetical. It was very much a library.
> 
> There was a massive section on chess and next to it was a section on puzzles. Henry stopped, sure that the puzzle he was unraveling, must have a clue within these volumes. He pulled each book off the shelf, flipped through it, and looked for anything out of the ordinary. Sylvia watched him for a while, until her curiosity finally got the best of her and she asked, "What are you looking for?"
> 
> Henry had forgotten that he wasn't alone, and realized she might be able to help. "I am not sure, but I think there may be a clue here, that will help…" He paused before he finished, as he hadn't been entirely truthful with Miss Culberson. She had hired him and paid him well, to find the journal, which he had done, and now he needed to make a decision. He continued, "Sylvia, can I trust you?"
> 
> She thought the question was rather strange. "Yes. Why would you think you couldn't?" She backed up, sensing that there was something going on, something she might not like. "Have you found the journal?!" Sylvia demanded.
> 
> Henry knew that he was walking a fine line. He knew that he needed Sylvia, he couldn't let her fly off into a rage, and he must choose his words carefully. He started with, "I have learned something about your father. Please sit down."
> 
> "Have you found the Journal? I have paid you well. I demand to know what you are up to! Can you trust me?! The nerve, can I trust you?" She was now in a rage.
> 
> It became apparent that he had done a poor job of choosing his first words. Henry was noting, if not quick on his feet, he took two steps towards her, tightened up his face, "Listen here sweetheart, I found your story to be thin, very thin, I have seen dames like you, and you are all alike. You can either park your cute little butt in that chair and listen to what I have to say, or you can go to hell, and try to find your father, on your own!"
> 
> This change in approach hit the mark. She was stunned by the last bit and stammered, "Did you say find my father?" She seemed unsteady and Henry helped her to the couch. She was calmer now, so Henry lowered his voice.
> 
> "Yes. I don't believe he was killed in the lab. I don't have any proof, and I probably shouldn't have gotten your hopes up, but I needed you to listen." He said and then paused. She didn't say anything, so he continued, "First of all, I don't believe that Mr. Alexander was keeping the journal about your father's business, but they were working together to code the journal, to keep it a secret."
> 
> This was a bit of a relief, but it didn't make any sense to Sylvia, so she asked, "They were working together, but why would an accountant need my father's help? "
> 
> "The next bit may be hard to understand, perhaps impossible, but I believe that Mr. Alexander had discovered some information, some proof if you will, that would bring down one of the city's most dangerous criminals. I believe that your father and Mr. Alexander were planning to turn the journal and its proof, over to the DA, when it was leaked what they were doing. It was then that they both realized the danger. I believe they staged the explosion. It was then…" Henry stopped when he heard the footsteps down the hall.
> 
> Sylvia was stunned, but immediately filled with hope. She didn't understand why he had stopped talking, as she hadn't heard the footsteps. "Yes, go on, it was the, what?"
> 
> "Winston is coming." Henry said.
> 
> "Oh you can trust Winston; he has been with the family since we moved here." She stood up, and ran out to Winston, "Henry thinks that father may still be alive!" she said with glee.
> 
> Winston remained unfazed and looked at Henry and said, "You are as clever as master Culberson had hoped."
> 
> Sylvia looked shocked, "You knew! Winston!" She was angry, but also thrilled, "It is true then?" She was almost shouting.
> 
> "Madame, you must lower your voice. I will try to explain."
> 
> Henry let Winston explain, as he went back to the stacks. He went through each of the puzzle books and then it occurred to him that perhaps Winston knew where the next clue was. "Winston, do you have a message for me?"
> 
> "Yes sir. Mr. Culberson told me to let you know that he was very interested in animals of late."
> 
> "That is the message?" Henry said, hoping for more, but not surprised by its cryptic nature. Undaunted he continued through the stacks until he found a section on the animal kingdom. There were dozens of books. A few books into the section, Henry noticed that these weren't in alphabetical order by author, but were ordered by species, starting with 'Ethel The Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying', and ending with a thick book about zebras. It seemed that the section contained all the books that had anything to do with animals, fiction and non-fiction combined. Next to the book on beavers, was a book on cows then a book about crows.
> 
> Henry paused, could that be the clue, as a group of crows are called a murder. He opened it and flipped through the pages. If the clue was there, he didn't get it. Henry decided to continue looking. The Tage Frid clue was one that only he would understand, so he was expecting that the next clue would be similar, and suddenly there it was, a book entitled, 'Fox Habits', sitting to the right of a book 'A Gaggle of Geese'. It was out of order, just by one book, but that, combined with the last present from the closet, meant this had to be the book.
> 
> Henry opened to the title page and read the inscription.


thank´s for the continue of mr. Wood
you saved my day with this little 10 minuts breake

Dennis


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Next Clue*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry walked briskly back through the house, towards the office. Sylvia had difficulty keeping up. The moment he crossed into the office, he stopped and scanned everything, hoping to let the room tell him where to go next. The room wasn't at all talkative. He turned to his left, and started to carefully read the titles, one by one. Mr. Alexander's methodology was to group his book by subject and then within each subject they were alphabetical. It was very much a library.
> 
> There was a massive section on chess and next to it was a section on puzzles. Henry stopped, sure that the puzzle he was unraveling, must have a clue within these volumes. He pulled each book off the shelf, flipped through it, and looked for anything out of the ordinary. Sylvia watched him for a while, until her curiosity finally got the best of her and she asked, "What are you looking for?"
> 
> Henry had forgotten that he wasn't alone, and realized she might be able to help. "I am not sure, but I think there may be a clue here, that will help…" He paused before he finished, as he hadn't been entirely truthful with Miss Culberson. She had hired him and paid him well, to find the journal, which he had done, and now he needed to make a decision. He continued, "Sylvia, can I trust you?"
> 
> She thought the question was rather strange. "Yes. Why would you think you couldn't?" She backed up, sensing that there was something going on, something she might not like. "Have you found the journal?!" Sylvia demanded.
> 
> Henry knew that he was walking a fine line. He knew that he needed Sylvia, he couldn't let her fly off into a rage, and he must choose his words carefully. He started with, "I have learned something about your father. Please sit down."
> 
> "Have you found the Journal? I have paid you well. I demand to know what you are up to! Can you trust me?! The nerve, can I trust you?" She was now in a rage.
> 
> It became apparent that he had done a poor job of choosing his first words. Henry was noting, if not quick on his feet, he took two steps towards her, tightened up his face, "Listen here sweetheart, I found your story to be thin, very thin, I have seen dames like you, and you are all alike. You can either park your cute little butt in that chair and listen to what I have to say, or you can go to hell, and try to find your father, on your own!"
> 
> This change in approach hit the mark. She was stunned by the last bit and stammered, "Did you say find my father?" She seemed unsteady and Henry helped her to the couch. She was calmer now, so Henry lowered his voice.
> 
> "Yes. I don't believe he was killed in the lab. I don't have any proof, and I probably shouldn't have gotten your hopes up, but I needed you to listen." He said and then paused. She didn't say anything, so he continued, "First of all, I don't believe that Mr. Alexander was keeping the journal about your father's business, but they were working together to code the journal, to keep it a secret."
> 
> This was a bit of a relief, but it didn't make any sense to Sylvia, so she asked, "They were working together, but why would an accountant need my father's help? "
> 
> "The next bit may be hard to understand, perhaps impossible, but I believe that Mr. Alexander had discovered some information, some proof if you will, that would bring down one of the city's most dangerous criminals. I believe that your father and Mr. Alexander were planning to turn the journal and its proof, over to the DA, when it was leaked what they were doing. It was then that they both realized the danger. I believe they staged the explosion. It was then…" Henry stopped when he heard the footsteps down the hall.
> 
> Sylvia was stunned, but immediately filled with hope. She didn't understand why he had stopped talking, as she hadn't heard the footsteps. "Yes, go on, it was the, what?"
> 
> "Winston is coming." Henry said.
> 
> "Oh you can trust Winston; he has been with the family since we moved here." She stood up, and ran out to Winston, "Henry thinks that father may still be alive!" she said with glee.
> 
> Winston remained unfazed and looked at Henry and said, "You are as clever as master Culberson had hoped."
> 
> Sylvia looked shocked, "You knew! Winston!" She was angry, but also thrilled, "It is true then?" She was almost shouting.
> 
> "Madame, you must lower your voice. I will try to explain."
> 
> Henry let Winston explain, as he went back to the stacks. He went through each of the puzzle books and then it occurred to him that perhaps Winston knew where the next clue was. "Winston, do you have a message for me?"
> 
> "Yes sir. Mr. Culberson told me to let you know that he was very interested in animals of late."
> 
> "That is the message?" Henry said, hoping for more, but not surprised by its cryptic nature. Undaunted he continued through the stacks until he found a section on the animal kingdom. There were dozens of books. A few books into the section, Henry noticed that these weren't in alphabetical order by author, but were ordered by species, starting with 'Ethel The Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying', and ending with a thick book about zebras. It seemed that the section contained all the books that had anything to do with animals, fiction and non-fiction combined. Next to the book on beavers, was a book on cows then a book about crows.
> 
> Henry paused, could that be the clue, as a group of crows are called a murder. He opened it and flipped through the pages. If the clue was there, he didn't get it. Henry decided to continue looking. The Tage Frid clue was one that only he would understand, so he was expecting that the next clue would be similar, and suddenly there it was, a book entitled, 'Fox Habits', sitting to the right of a book 'A Gaggle of Geese'. It was out of order, just by one book, but that, combined with the last present from the closet, meant this had to be the book.
> 
> Henry opened to the title page and read the inscription.


This certainly brings some point back together.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Practicing Hand Cut Dovetails*



I have been spending so much time working on my router table that I haven't done any pure practicing. So I set a goal to cut two sets of dovetails. Previously I had cut a set of tails, but have been way too much of a Wimpy McWimperson to try the pins. I wanted to live with the joy of the tails for a while, before I had to face the cold hard reality that the pins and tails don't really fit together that well.

Tonight reality slapped me around and called me a sissy. But that is ok, I needed it. The mental thrashing I took, from my poorly fitting joints, was somewhat motivating. When I cut the mortise and tenons, they weren't pretty, but I practiced and they got better. I am confident that my dovetails will improve too. Were I to assess both sets, I would say I made a marginal improvement from the first to the second. The first pair was pretty loose, while the second was much tighter.



The wood is oak. I used my Japanese hand saws for the cuts. I think that the main issue was with the quality of my saw cuts, especially the angled ones. I have made a fair amount of straight cuts with my saws, and the angled cuts are of a higher difficulty level. Not as high a difficulty level as the triple salchow, but I digress. Of course, cutting dovetails by hand, isn't a requirement for quality woodworking, but like the chisel work, I believe the skill will help me with my understanding of joints.



Before today I hadn't thought about the pins and their relationship to the tails. It seems the tails need to be on the side of the drawer. If it were the pins on the side, I imagine the drawer would come apart. I enjoyed my dovetail practice and it might be nice to do a small drawer and somehow graft it onto my router table. Will it look out of place? Yes, probably, but I can live with that, if it actually works and can hold my router bits. 
So tonight I practiced, I chose a skill, which I don't have, and began to develop it. I believe that progress is to be celebrated. The imperfections that one creates along the way can be looked at lovingly, down the road, as sign posts on the journey taken.



On an unrelated note, my friend Steve is a financial backer of a band called, 'Hello Dave'. They are really quite good and have recently released a video on the CMT website. Apparently, if enough people go to the site and listen to the video, it is possible, that it will get elevated to the status of being played on TV. Steve has been a good friend for a long time and he has put a great deal of time and energy into 'Hello Dave', and I wanted to take the opportunity to plug them. If you would like to help Steve and 'Hello Dave', to maybe have their dream come true, all you have to do is click on the link and give it a listen. I think you will enjoy it, and I would appreciate the help. http://bit.ly/94CrCi


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Practicing Hand Cut Dovetails*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been spending so much time working on my router table that I haven't done any pure practicing. So I set a goal to cut two sets of dovetails. Previously I had cut a set of tails, but have been way too much of a Wimpy McWimperson to try the pins. I wanted to live with the joy of the tails for a while, before I had to face the cold hard reality that the pins and tails don't really fit together that well.
> 
> Tonight reality slapped me around and called me a sissy. But that is ok, I needed it. The mental thrashing I took, from my poorly fitting joints, was somewhat motivating. When I cut the mortise and tenons, they weren't pretty, but I practiced and they got better. I am confident that my dovetails will improve too. Were I to assess both sets, I would say I made a marginal improvement from the first to the second. The first pair was pretty loose, while the second was much tighter.
> 
> 
> 
> The wood is oak. I used my Japanese hand saws for the cuts. I think that the main issue was with the quality of my saw cuts, especially the angled ones. I have made a fair amount of straight cuts with my saws, and the angled cuts are of a higher difficulty level. Not as high a difficulty level as the triple salchow, but I digress. Of course, cutting dovetails by hand, isn't a requirement for quality woodworking, but like the chisel work, I believe the skill will help me with my understanding of joints.
> 
> 
> 
> Before today I hadn't thought about the pins and their relationship to the tails. It seems the tails need to be on the side of the drawer. If it were the pins on the side, I imagine the drawer would come apart. I enjoyed my dovetail practice and it might be nice to do a small drawer and somehow graft it onto my router table. Will it look out of place? Yes, probably, but I can live with that, if it actually works and can hold my router bits.
> So tonight I practiced, I chose a skill, which I don't have, and began to develop it. I believe that progress is to be celebrated. The imperfections that one creates along the way can be looked at lovingly, down the road, as sign posts on the journey taken.
> 
> 
> 
> On an unrelated note, my friend Steve is a financial backer of a band called, 'Hello Dave'. They are really quite good and have recently released a video on the CMT website. Apparently, if enough people go to the site and listen to the video, it is possible, that it will get elevated to the status of being played on TV. Steve has been a good friend for a long time and he has put a great deal of time and energy into 'Hello Dave', and I wanted to take the opportunity to plug them. If you would like to help Steve and 'Hello Dave', to maybe have their dream come true, all you have to do is click on the link and give it a listen. I think you will enjoy it, and I would appreciate the help. http://bit.ly/94CrCi


Brian,

I love that suggestion! I am going to try it tomorrow, how very clever. I am sure it will make it easier. Thanks so much.

Oh and I am glad you are enjoying my blog. I hope you will check out 'Hello Dave' too.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Practicing Hand Cut Dovetails*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been spending so much time working on my router table that I haven't done any pure practicing. So I set a goal to cut two sets of dovetails. Previously I had cut a set of tails, but have been way too much of a Wimpy McWimperson to try the pins. I wanted to live with the joy of the tails for a while, before I had to face the cold hard reality that the pins and tails don't really fit together that well.
> 
> Tonight reality slapped me around and called me a sissy. But that is ok, I needed it. The mental thrashing I took, from my poorly fitting joints, was somewhat motivating. When I cut the mortise and tenons, they weren't pretty, but I practiced and they got better. I am confident that my dovetails will improve too. Were I to assess both sets, I would say I made a marginal improvement from the first to the second. The first pair was pretty loose, while the second was much tighter.
> 
> 
> 
> The wood is oak. I used my Japanese hand saws for the cuts. I think that the main issue was with the quality of my saw cuts, especially the angled ones. I have made a fair amount of straight cuts with my saws, and the angled cuts are of a higher difficulty level. Not as high a difficulty level as the triple salchow, but I digress. Of course, cutting dovetails by hand, isn't a requirement for quality woodworking, but like the chisel work, I believe the skill will help me with my understanding of joints.
> 
> 
> 
> Before today I hadn't thought about the pins and their relationship to the tails. It seems the tails need to be on the side of the drawer. If it were the pins on the side, I imagine the drawer would come apart. I enjoyed my dovetail practice and it might be nice to do a small drawer and somehow graft it onto my router table. Will it look out of place? Yes, probably, but I can live with that, if it actually works and can hold my router bits.
> So tonight I practiced, I chose a skill, which I don't have, and began to develop it. I believe that progress is to be celebrated. The imperfections that one creates along the way can be looked at lovingly, down the road, as sign posts on the journey taken.
> 
> 
> 
> On an unrelated note, my friend Steve is a financial backer of a band called, 'Hello Dave'. They are really quite good and have recently released a video on the CMT website. Apparently, if enough people go to the site and listen to the video, it is possible, that it will get elevated to the status of being played on TV. Steve has been a good friend for a long time and he has put a great deal of time and energy into 'Hello Dave', and I wanted to take the opportunity to plug them. If you would like to help Steve and 'Hello Dave', to maybe have their dream come true, all you have to do is click on the link and give it a listen. I think you will enjoy it, and I would appreciate the help. http://bit.ly/94CrCi


Nice effort! Why does the end grain look so dark in the first picture? Is that a photography trick?

I'm new to this too-did you markup your wood with a sharp tool? I've heard of using a vertical fixture (a board and a clamp) to make sure your chisel work is nearly verticial where you want it to be (hold the back of the chisel against the board). Not sure if that would help or not

Regards,
Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Practicing Hand Cut Dovetails*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been spending so much time working on my router table that I haven't done any pure practicing. So I set a goal to cut two sets of dovetails. Previously I had cut a set of tails, but have been way too much of a Wimpy McWimperson to try the pins. I wanted to live with the joy of the tails for a while, before I had to face the cold hard reality that the pins and tails don't really fit together that well.
> 
> Tonight reality slapped me around and called me a sissy. But that is ok, I needed it. The mental thrashing I took, from my poorly fitting joints, was somewhat motivating. When I cut the mortise and tenons, they weren't pretty, but I practiced and they got better. I am confident that my dovetails will improve too. Were I to assess both sets, I would say I made a marginal improvement from the first to the second. The first pair was pretty loose, while the second was much tighter.
> 
> 
> 
> The wood is oak. I used my Japanese hand saws for the cuts. I think that the main issue was with the quality of my saw cuts, especially the angled ones. I have made a fair amount of straight cuts with my saws, and the angled cuts are of a higher difficulty level. Not as high a difficulty level as the triple salchow, but I digress. Of course, cutting dovetails by hand, isn't a requirement for quality woodworking, but like the chisel work, I believe the skill will help me with my understanding of joints.
> 
> 
> 
> Before today I hadn't thought about the pins and their relationship to the tails. It seems the tails need to be on the side of the drawer. If it were the pins on the side, I imagine the drawer would come apart. I enjoyed my dovetail practice and it might be nice to do a small drawer and somehow graft it onto my router table. Will it look out of place? Yes, probably, but I can live with that, if it actually works and can hold my router bits.
> So tonight I practiced, I chose a skill, which I don't have, and began to develop it. I believe that progress is to be celebrated. The imperfections that one creates along the way can be looked at lovingly, down the road, as sign posts on the journey taken.
> 
> 
> 
> On an unrelated note, my friend Steve is a financial backer of a band called, 'Hello Dave'. They are really quite good and have recently released a video on the CMT website. Apparently, if enough people go to the site and listen to the video, it is possible, that it will get elevated to the status of being played on TV. Steve has been a good friend for a long time and he has put a great deal of time and energy into 'Hello Dave', and I wanted to take the opportunity to plug them. If you would like to help Steve and 'Hello Dave', to maybe have their dream come true, all you have to do is click on the link and give it a listen. I think you will enjoy it, and I would appreciate the help. http://bit.ly/94CrCi


Bill,

Great question on the end grain. It is because I used my router to even up several boards at once, and I went a bit slow, and had some burning. So that is a bit of a blunder, but since this was only practice wood, I am not beating myself up too much.

I use both a sharp marking knife and a 4H drawing pencil. They hard drawing pencils are nice, because they can draw a very fine line. I think that for the dovetails, the marking knife worked best though.

Brian


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Practicing Hand Cut Dovetails*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been spending so much time working on my router table that I haven't done any pure practicing. So I set a goal to cut two sets of dovetails. Previously I had cut a set of tails, but have been way too much of a Wimpy McWimperson to try the pins. I wanted to live with the joy of the tails for a while, before I had to face the cold hard reality that the pins and tails don't really fit together that well.
> 
> Tonight reality slapped me around and called me a sissy. But that is ok, I needed it. The mental thrashing I took, from my poorly fitting joints, was somewhat motivating. When I cut the mortise and tenons, they weren't pretty, but I practiced and they got better. I am confident that my dovetails will improve too. Were I to assess both sets, I would say I made a marginal improvement from the first to the second. The first pair was pretty loose, while the second was much tighter.
> 
> 
> 
> The wood is oak. I used my Japanese hand saws for the cuts. I think that the main issue was with the quality of my saw cuts, especially the angled ones. I have made a fair amount of straight cuts with my saws, and the angled cuts are of a higher difficulty level. Not as high a difficulty level as the triple salchow, but I digress. Of course, cutting dovetails by hand, isn't a requirement for quality woodworking, but like the chisel work, I believe the skill will help me with my understanding of joints.
> 
> 
> 
> Before today I hadn't thought about the pins and their relationship to the tails. It seems the tails need to be on the side of the drawer. If it were the pins on the side, I imagine the drawer would come apart. I enjoyed my dovetail practice and it might be nice to do a small drawer and somehow graft it onto my router table. Will it look out of place? Yes, probably, but I can live with that, if it actually works and can hold my router bits.
> So tonight I practiced, I chose a skill, which I don't have, and began to develop it. I believe that progress is to be celebrated. The imperfections that one creates along the way can be looked at lovingly, down the road, as sign posts on the journey taken.
> 
> 
> 
> On an unrelated note, my friend Steve is a financial backer of a band called, 'Hello Dave'. They are really quite good and have recently released a video on the CMT website. Apparently, if enough people go to the site and listen to the video, it is possible, that it will get elevated to the status of being played on TV. Steve has been a good friend for a long time and he has put a great deal of time and energy into 'Hello Dave', and I wanted to take the opportunity to plug them. If you would like to help Steve and 'Hello Dave', to maybe have their dream come true, all you have to do is click on the link and give it a listen. I think you will enjoy it, and I would appreciate the help. http://bit.ly/94CrCi


Hi Brian,
Thanks for the post. I remembered a video I saw at Fine Woodworking that may interest you by Gary Rogowski called The Five Minute Dovetail. He agrees with you that making dovetails can make even your machine work better. He suggests a five minute dovetail as a way to warm up before starting the woodworking day much as any other athlete would do. I'm sure if you aren't a member of FWW the link is worthless.

Cool band too. Hello Dave! I like just saying that.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Practicing Hand Cut Dovetails*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been spending so much time working on my router table that I haven't done any pure practicing. So I set a goal to cut two sets of dovetails. Previously I had cut a set of tails, but have been way too much of a Wimpy McWimperson to try the pins. I wanted to live with the joy of the tails for a while, before I had to face the cold hard reality that the pins and tails don't really fit together that well.
> 
> Tonight reality slapped me around and called me a sissy. But that is ok, I needed it. The mental thrashing I took, from my poorly fitting joints, was somewhat motivating. When I cut the mortise and tenons, they weren't pretty, but I practiced and they got better. I am confident that my dovetails will improve too. Were I to assess both sets, I would say I made a marginal improvement from the first to the second. The first pair was pretty loose, while the second was much tighter.
> 
> 
> 
> The wood is oak. I used my Japanese hand saws for the cuts. I think that the main issue was with the quality of my saw cuts, especially the angled ones. I have made a fair amount of straight cuts with my saws, and the angled cuts are of a higher difficulty level. Not as high a difficulty level as the triple salchow, but I digress. Of course, cutting dovetails by hand, isn't a requirement for quality woodworking, but like the chisel work, I believe the skill will help me with my understanding of joints.
> 
> 
> 
> Before today I hadn't thought about the pins and their relationship to the tails. It seems the tails need to be on the side of the drawer. If it were the pins on the side, I imagine the drawer would come apart. I enjoyed my dovetail practice and it might be nice to do a small drawer and somehow graft it onto my router table. Will it look out of place? Yes, probably, but I can live with that, if it actually works and can hold my router bits.
> So tonight I practiced, I chose a skill, which I don't have, and began to develop it. I believe that progress is to be celebrated. The imperfections that one creates along the way can be looked at lovingly, down the road, as sign posts on the journey taken.
> 
> 
> 
> On an unrelated note, my friend Steve is a financial backer of a band called, 'Hello Dave'. They are really quite good and have recently released a video on the CMT website. Apparently, if enough people go to the site and listen to the video, it is possible, that it will get elevated to the status of being played on TV. Steve has been a good friend for a long time and he has put a great deal of time and energy into 'Hello Dave', and I wanted to take the opportunity to plug them. If you would like to help Steve and 'Hello Dave', to maybe have their dream come true, all you have to do is click on the link and give it a listen. I think you will enjoy it, and I would appreciate the help. http://bit.ly/94CrCi


Brian,
I have no wisdom to pass on in regard to hand cuttting dovetails, since that is one skill I haven't tried yet.

But I wanted to pass on my comments on Hello Dave, the band.
I enjoyed their music and it pleased me that it wasn't hard rock, which I detest.
I noticed the skilfull video cuts which not only increased visual interest but also exhibited considerable resources at their disposal.
I will refrain from further comment on the pretty 'fiddler'. ;-)

Best regards,
db


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Practicing Hand Cut Dovetails*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been spending so much time working on my router table that I haven't done any pure practicing. So I set a goal to cut two sets of dovetails. Previously I had cut a set of tails, but have been way too much of a Wimpy McWimperson to try the pins. I wanted to live with the joy of the tails for a while, before I had to face the cold hard reality that the pins and tails don't really fit together that well.
> 
> Tonight reality slapped me around and called me a sissy. But that is ok, I needed it. The mental thrashing I took, from my poorly fitting joints, was somewhat motivating. When I cut the mortise and tenons, they weren't pretty, but I practiced and they got better. I am confident that my dovetails will improve too. Were I to assess both sets, I would say I made a marginal improvement from the first to the second. The first pair was pretty loose, while the second was much tighter.
> 
> 
> 
> The wood is oak. I used my Japanese hand saws for the cuts. I think that the main issue was with the quality of my saw cuts, especially the angled ones. I have made a fair amount of straight cuts with my saws, and the angled cuts are of a higher difficulty level. Not as high a difficulty level as the triple salchow, but I digress. Of course, cutting dovetails by hand, isn't a requirement for quality woodworking, but like the chisel work, I believe the skill will help me with my understanding of joints.
> 
> 
> 
> Before today I hadn't thought about the pins and their relationship to the tails. It seems the tails need to be on the side of the drawer. If it were the pins on the side, I imagine the drawer would come apart. I enjoyed my dovetail practice and it might be nice to do a small drawer and somehow graft it onto my router table. Will it look out of place? Yes, probably, but I can live with that, if it actually works and can hold my router bits.
> So tonight I practiced, I chose a skill, which I don't have, and began to develop it. I believe that progress is to be celebrated. The imperfections that one creates along the way can be looked at lovingly, down the road, as sign posts on the journey taken.
> 
> 
> 
> On an unrelated note, my friend Steve is a financial backer of a band called, 'Hello Dave'. They are really quite good and have recently released a video on the CMT website. Apparently, if enough people go to the site and listen to the video, it is possible, that it will get elevated to the status of being played on TV. Steve has been a good friend for a long time and he has put a great deal of time and energy into 'Hello Dave', and I wanted to take the opportunity to plug them. If you would like to help Steve and 'Hello Dave', to maybe have their dream come true, all you have to do is click on the link and give it a listen. I think you will enjoy it, and I would appreciate the help. http://bit.ly/94CrCi


Too many tips all at once might create an overload situation Brian, but I can't resist just one. It appears that you have used the thickness of the stock to mark the shoulder line. I would suggest you add about 1/32". That way your tails and pins will protrude by that amount and you can then plane, chisel or sand them flush to the surface after the glue-up is dry. It looks to me that you are doing pretty well, so keep up the practice until you are satisfied. I think I would rather practice on pine though, as it's cheap and quicker to cut.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Practicing Hand Cut Dovetails*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been spending so much time working on my router table that I haven't done any pure practicing. So I set a goal to cut two sets of dovetails. Previously I had cut a set of tails, but have been way too much of a Wimpy McWimperson to try the pins. I wanted to live with the joy of the tails for a while, before I had to face the cold hard reality that the pins and tails don't really fit together that well.
> 
> Tonight reality slapped me around and called me a sissy. But that is ok, I needed it. The mental thrashing I took, from my poorly fitting joints, was somewhat motivating. When I cut the mortise and tenons, they weren't pretty, but I practiced and they got better. I am confident that my dovetails will improve too. Were I to assess both sets, I would say I made a marginal improvement from the first to the second. The first pair was pretty loose, while the second was much tighter.
> 
> 
> 
> The wood is oak. I used my Japanese hand saws for the cuts. I think that the main issue was with the quality of my saw cuts, especially the angled ones. I have made a fair amount of straight cuts with my saws, and the angled cuts are of a higher difficulty level. Not as high a difficulty level as the triple salchow, but I digress. Of course, cutting dovetails by hand, isn't a requirement for quality woodworking, but like the chisel work, I believe the skill will help me with my understanding of joints.
> 
> 
> 
> Before today I hadn't thought about the pins and their relationship to the tails. It seems the tails need to be on the side of the drawer. If it were the pins on the side, I imagine the drawer would come apart. I enjoyed my dovetail practice and it might be nice to do a small drawer and somehow graft it onto my router table. Will it look out of place? Yes, probably, but I can live with that, if it actually works and can hold my router bits.
> So tonight I practiced, I chose a skill, which I don't have, and began to develop it. I believe that progress is to be celebrated. The imperfections that one creates along the way can be looked at lovingly, down the road, as sign posts on the journey taken.
> 
> 
> 
> On an unrelated note, my friend Steve is a financial backer of a band called, 'Hello Dave'. They are really quite good and have recently released a video on the CMT website. Apparently, if enough people go to the site and listen to the video, it is possible, that it will get elevated to the status of being played on TV. Steve has been a good friend for a long time and he has put a great deal of time and energy into 'Hello Dave', and I wanted to take the opportunity to plug them. If you would like to help Steve and 'Hello Dave', to maybe have their dream come true, all you have to do is click on the link and give it a listen. I think you will enjoy it, and I would appreciate the help. http://bit.ly/94CrCi


Stefang,

I hadn't thought about leaving extra, so I will try the 1/32" trick today. I don't have any pine to practice on, but next time I go to the lumberyard, I will pick some up. Thanks.

Don,

I am glad you liked 'Hello Dave'. Thanks for clicking.

And thanks to the 21 people of 139 who clicked too! Every little bit helps.

Brian


----------



## nmkidd

Ecocandle said:


> *Practicing Hand Cut Dovetails*
> 
> 
> 
> I have been spending so much time working on my router table that I haven't done any pure practicing. So I set a goal to cut two sets of dovetails. Previously I had cut a set of tails, but have been way too much of a Wimpy McWimperson to try the pins. I wanted to live with the joy of the tails for a while, before I had to face the cold hard reality that the pins and tails don't really fit together that well.
> 
> Tonight reality slapped me around and called me a sissy. But that is ok, I needed it. The mental thrashing I took, from my poorly fitting joints, was somewhat motivating. When I cut the mortise and tenons, they weren't pretty, but I practiced and they got better. I am confident that my dovetails will improve too. Were I to assess both sets, I would say I made a marginal improvement from the first to the second. The first pair was pretty loose, while the second was much tighter.
> 
> 
> 
> The wood is oak. I used my Japanese hand saws for the cuts. I think that the main issue was with the quality of my saw cuts, especially the angled ones. I have made a fair amount of straight cuts with my saws, and the angled cuts are of a higher difficulty level. Not as high a difficulty level as the triple salchow, but I digress. Of course, cutting dovetails by hand, isn't a requirement for quality woodworking, but like the chisel work, I believe the skill will help me with my understanding of joints.
> 
> 
> 
> Before today I hadn't thought about the pins and their relationship to the tails. It seems the tails need to be on the side of the drawer. If it were the pins on the side, I imagine the drawer would come apart. I enjoyed my dovetail practice and it might be nice to do a small drawer and somehow graft it onto my router table. Will it look out of place? Yes, probably, but I can live with that, if it actually works and can hold my router bits.
> So tonight I practiced, I chose a skill, which I don't have, and began to develop it. I believe that progress is to be celebrated. The imperfections that one creates along the way can be looked at lovingly, down the road, as sign posts on the journey taken.
> 
> 
> 
> On an unrelated note, my friend Steve is a financial backer of a band called, 'Hello Dave'. They are really quite good and have recently released a video on the CMT website. Apparently, if enough people go to the site and listen to the video, it is possible, that it will get elevated to the status of being played on TV. Steve has been a good friend for a long time and he has put a great deal of time and energy into 'Hello Dave', and I wanted to take the opportunity to plug them. If you would like to help Steve and 'Hello Dave', to maybe have their dream come true, all you have to do is click on the link and give it a listen. I think you will enjoy it, and I would appreciate the help. http://bit.ly/94CrCi


Procrastination is the word for my dovetail efforts…......eventually the day will come when I will have to face reality and go for it like you…....you seem to be making good progress…....just hope my first shot at dovetails is as good as yours!!!!

BTW: Hello Dave is a cool groupgreat sound and musicians…....will add them to my list….thx for the clip


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: The New Office*



Henry pulled out of the drive, the book resting on the passenger seat, and the Four Knights, 'I Get So Lonely', playing on the radio. The steering wheel was cold, really cold, and Henry didn't even notice. His gloves in his pocket, all warm and napping, just waiting to get in the game were quite content where they were. In his mind, he was laying out the cards which had been dealt him, looking them over, and searching for patterns. It was obvious, that at this point, his hand was weak.

Henry reached down and changed the radio station, Frankie Laine & Jimmy Boyd, 'Tell Me A Story', seemed appropriate, so he stopped searching. Snow began to fall again. The wiper blades seemed to be keeping time. It is one thing to know that one is on the right path; it is an entirely different thing to know where that path is heading. Henry stood on the metaphorical path. It was a maze and though he knew that the 'Goal' was to end up in the DA's office with the journal and the key in hand, he wasn't sure where to turn next. Henry was sure of one thing, if he wasn't careful, and he should get lost in the maze, it could be deadly.

The cityscape changed, he crossed the bridge, the buildings grew and the traffic thickened. Whether it was paranoia, or his aching ribs, Henry kept checking his mirrors. He had a feeling that he was being watched, the moment he left the bridge and arrived on the island. Left, right, left, right, right and left, put him back on course, and he didn't see anyone, but the feeling persisted.

Henry pulled up to the address on the back of Bobby's card. Henry couldn't believe it. He stood looking up at the Flatiron Building at twenty-third street, famous for being triangular in shape and from being responsible for the phrase, 'twenty-three skidoo'. The draft from the height and shape of the building had, after the completion in 1902, caused women's skirts to fly up, which meant that the local constables had to "skidoo" the men who hung out for a peak. Henry had always hated right angles. He loved a room with character and he had been curious to see the inside of this famous address. For a moment, Henry forgot about his sore ribs, the business card from the future, and the general feeling of being watched.

He walked into the building, climbed the stairs to the third floor and started down the hall. The numbers got larger until he got to the end; there it was, at the end of the hall, the office which would have the window looking out from the point of the triangle. He hadn't called Bobby, as he wanted to check the place out, without Bobby yammering on. He reached down and found the door to be unlocked. He opened it slowly and walked in.

"Hey, Mr. Wood, I am so glad you decided to check the place out. It really suits you. Don't you love the building? You know, the phrase, '23 skidoo' is because of the Flatiron building?"

"Bobby" Henry said, momentarily startled, "Yes, I did know that. What are you…"

"I had a feeling you would be coming over today. I mean, you can't work for too long without an office, can 
you? You need to find a place fast, and this place is perfect for you. Here look around. There is plenty of space out here in the waiting room, for a secretary and a desk, and the office is fantastic, here take a look. I know you will love it." Bobby opened the door, and held it for Henry. Henry walked through and it was indeed perfect for him. He couldn't let Bobby know, he dreaded the response it would yield.

Bobby was a seasoned realtor and was better at reading poker faces than Henry was at wearing one. "I knew it! You do love it! It is perfect for you. You don't have a secretary do you? I know a woman who would be fantastic, she is blonde, types 85 words a minute, and has legs that go on for miles. I can get you her number if you like? So should I get the rental contract?" He asked, and presumably took a breath, but Henry thought it was possible that Bobby could talk for hours without stopping or breathing. Henry didn't answer.

He walked around the room, stopping at the window and looking down on the street. The room felt like a fortress, it was comforting. He turned around and looked at Bobby, who stood silently; a feat that Henry would have guessed was beyond his abilities. Short, Henry guessed about 5' zero, stout, wearing an old overcoat and a somewhat worn hat, he had a notebook in one pocket, and a racing form was peeking out of the other. His round face seemed honest, even kind, but his constant chatter, made him annoying. Henry stared at Bobby, sizing him up, looking for a clue. Who was this guy? Where did he come from? Why did Sylvia have one of Henry's cards with this address on it? Why was he wearing a coat indoors?

The room was silent, the flow of chatter out of Bobby had completely ceased, and neither one of them was talking. After 30 seconds, it was becoming uncomfortable for Henry, he expected that Bobby would start blathering on at any moment, but he didn't. He was mute. Finally Henry decided he wanted to try something and said, "It is ok, but I was wondering if you have anything else in the building, maybe on a different floor?"

"Nope, the building is full; this is the only office available. Shall I get the paperwork?" He responded. He was concise and to the point. This also surprised Henry. He couldn't get a read on Bobby.
Henry said, "I think I would like to think about it for a while?"
Bobby, who was now a paragon of brevity, said "Why?"

Henry knew that he was outmatched. He turned back and looked out the window, as he didn't want Bobby to see him smiling. He liked Bobby. Henry thought it best to keep that from the strange little man. He also liked the office and since taking the place seemed to already be in the cards, he decided not to fight it. "I'll take it."

Bobby made a strange noise, which might have been laughter, Henry wasn't sure. "Great, I have the contract in my office. I knew you would love the place, it is a great building. Oh you know what? I almost forgot to tell you the best part, aside from being next to the greatest deli in the world, the best part is that my office is right down the hall! We will be neighbors! I know you will love it here. The other tenants are great, except for old man Conner, but don't you worry about him, he keeps to himself. I will get the paper work. I will be right back." He scurried out of the room and silence seemed to hesitantly creep back in, not sure if it was ok.

Henry didn't know how Sylvia had gotten his business cards, which he hadn't had printed yet. He didn't know why it was so important that he have this office. All he knew is that, like it or not, he had a new friend. From down the hallway, the sound, of papers being shuffled, a door creaking as it closed, and someone's radio playing Tony Bennett's hit, "From Rags to Riches", seemed to all indicate that Henry was still on the right path.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The New Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry pulled out of the drive, the book resting on the passenger seat, and the Four Knights, 'I Get So Lonely', playing on the radio. The steering wheel was cold, really cold, and Henry didn't even notice. His gloves in his pocket, all warm and napping, just waiting to get in the game were quite content where they were. In his mind, he was laying out the cards which had been dealt him, looking them over, and searching for patterns. It was obvious, that at this point, his hand was weak.
> 
> Henry reached down and changed the radio station, Frankie Laine & Jimmy Boyd, 'Tell Me A Story', seemed appropriate, so he stopped searching. Snow began to fall again. The wiper blades seemed to be keeping time. It is one thing to know that one is on the right path; it is an entirely different thing to know where that path is heading. Henry stood on the metaphorical path. It was a maze and though he knew that the 'Goal' was to end up in the DA's office with the journal and the key in hand, he wasn't sure where to turn next. Henry was sure of one thing, if he wasn't careful, and he should get lost in the maze, it could be deadly.
> 
> The cityscape changed, he crossed the bridge, the buildings grew and the traffic thickened. Whether it was paranoia, or his aching ribs, Henry kept checking his mirrors. He had a feeling that he was being watched, the moment he left the bridge and arrived on the island. Left, right, left, right, right and left, put him back on course, and he didn't see anyone, but the feeling persisted.
> 
> Henry pulled up to the address on the back of Bobby's card. Henry couldn't believe it. He stood looking up at the Flatiron Building at twenty-third street, famous for being triangular in shape and from being responsible for the phrase, 'twenty-three skidoo'. The draft from the height and shape of the building had, after the completion in 1902, caused women's skirts to fly up, which meant that the local constables had to "skidoo" the men who hung out for a peak. Henry had always hated right angles. He loved a room with character and he had been curious to see the inside of this famous address. For a moment, Henry forgot about his sore ribs, the business card from the future, and the general feeling of being watched.
> 
> He walked into the building, climbed the stairs to the third floor and started down the hall. The numbers got larger until he got to the end; there it was, at the end of the hall, the office which would have the window looking out from the point of the triangle. He hadn't called Bobby, as he wanted to check the place out, without Bobby yammering on. He reached down and found the door to be unlocked. He opened it slowly and walked in.
> 
> "Hey, Mr. Wood, I am so glad you decided to check the place out. It really suits you. Don't you love the building? You know, the phrase, '23 skidoo' is because of the Flatiron building?"
> 
> "Bobby" Henry said, momentarily startled, "Yes, I did know that. What are you…"
> 
> "I had a feeling you would be coming over today. I mean, you can't work for too long without an office, can
> you? You need to find a place fast, and this place is perfect for you. Here look around. There is plenty of space out here in the waiting room, for a secretary and a desk, and the office is fantastic, here take a look. I know you will love it." Bobby opened the door, and held it for Henry. Henry walked through and it was indeed perfect for him. He couldn't let Bobby know, he dreaded the response it would yield.
> 
> Bobby was a seasoned realtor and was better at reading poker faces than Henry was at wearing one. "I knew it! You do love it! It is perfect for you. You don't have a secretary do you? I know a woman who would be fantastic, she is blonde, types 85 words a minute, and has legs that go on for miles. I can get you her number if you like? So should I get the rental contract?" He asked, and presumably took a breath, but Henry thought it was possible that Bobby could talk for hours without stopping or breathing. Henry didn't answer.
> 
> He walked around the room, stopping at the window and looking down on the street. The room felt like a fortress, it was comforting. He turned around and looked at Bobby, who stood silently; a feat that Henry would have guessed was beyond his abilities. Short, Henry guessed about 5' zero, stout, wearing an old overcoat and a somewhat worn hat, he had a notebook in one pocket, and a racing form was peeking out of the other. His round face seemed honest, even kind, but his constant chatter, made him annoying. Henry stared at Bobby, sizing him up, looking for a clue. Who was this guy? Where did he come from? Why did Sylvia have one of Henry's cards with this address on it? Why was he wearing a coat indoors?
> 
> The room was silent, the flow of chatter out of Bobby had completely ceased, and neither one of them was talking. After 30 seconds, it was becoming uncomfortable for Henry, he expected that Bobby would start blathering on at any moment, but he didn't. He was mute. Finally Henry decided he wanted to try something and said, "It is ok, but I was wondering if you have anything else in the building, maybe on a different floor?"
> 
> "Nope, the building is full; this is the only office available. Shall I get the paperwork?" He responded. He was concise and to the point. This also surprised Henry. He couldn't get a read on Bobby.
> Henry said, "I think I would like to think about it for a while?"
> Bobby, who was now a paragon of brevity, said "Why?"
> 
> Henry knew that he was outmatched. He turned back and looked out the window, as he didn't want Bobby to see him smiling. He liked Bobby. Henry thought it best to keep that from the strange little man. He also liked the office and since taking the place seemed to already be in the cards, he decided not to fight it. "I'll take it."
> 
> Bobby made a strange noise, which might have been laughter, Henry wasn't sure. "Great, I have the contract in my office. I knew you would love the place, it is a great building. Oh you know what? I almost forgot to tell you the best part, aside from being next to the greatest deli in the world, the best part is that my office is right down the hall! We will be neighbors! I know you will love it here. The other tenants are great, except for old man Conner, but don't you worry about him, he keeps to himself. I will get the paper work. I will be right back." He scurried out of the room and silence seemed to hesitantly creep back in, not sure if it was ok.
> 
> Henry didn't know how Sylvia had gotten his business cards, which he hadn't had printed yet. He didn't know why it was so important that he have this office. All he knew is that, like it or not, he had a new friend. From down the hallway, the sound, of papers being shuffled, a door creaking as it closed, and someone's radio playing Tony Bennett's hit, "From Rags to Riches", seemed to all indicate that Henry was still on the right path.


thank´s for todays episode of the wooden story

Dennis


----------



## Tangle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The New Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry pulled out of the drive, the book resting on the passenger seat, and the Four Knights, 'I Get So Lonely', playing on the radio. The steering wheel was cold, really cold, and Henry didn't even notice. His gloves in his pocket, all warm and napping, just waiting to get in the game were quite content where they were. In his mind, he was laying out the cards which had been dealt him, looking them over, and searching for patterns. It was obvious, that at this point, his hand was weak.
> 
> Henry reached down and changed the radio station, Frankie Laine & Jimmy Boyd, 'Tell Me A Story', seemed appropriate, so he stopped searching. Snow began to fall again. The wiper blades seemed to be keeping time. It is one thing to know that one is on the right path; it is an entirely different thing to know where that path is heading. Henry stood on the metaphorical path. It was a maze and though he knew that the 'Goal' was to end up in the DA's office with the journal and the key in hand, he wasn't sure where to turn next. Henry was sure of one thing, if he wasn't careful, and he should get lost in the maze, it could be deadly.
> 
> The cityscape changed, he crossed the bridge, the buildings grew and the traffic thickened. Whether it was paranoia, or his aching ribs, Henry kept checking his mirrors. He had a feeling that he was being watched, the moment he left the bridge and arrived on the island. Left, right, left, right, right and left, put him back on course, and he didn't see anyone, but the feeling persisted.
> 
> Henry pulled up to the address on the back of Bobby's card. Henry couldn't believe it. He stood looking up at the Flatiron Building at twenty-third street, famous for being triangular in shape and from being responsible for the phrase, 'twenty-three skidoo'. The draft from the height and shape of the building had, after the completion in 1902, caused women's skirts to fly up, which meant that the local constables had to "skidoo" the men who hung out for a peak. Henry had always hated right angles. He loved a room with character and he had been curious to see the inside of this famous address. For a moment, Henry forgot about his sore ribs, the business card from the future, and the general feeling of being watched.
> 
> He walked into the building, climbed the stairs to the third floor and started down the hall. The numbers got larger until he got to the end; there it was, at the end of the hall, the office which would have the window looking out from the point of the triangle. He hadn't called Bobby, as he wanted to check the place out, without Bobby yammering on. He reached down and found the door to be unlocked. He opened it slowly and walked in.
> 
> "Hey, Mr. Wood, I am so glad you decided to check the place out. It really suits you. Don't you love the building? You know, the phrase, '23 skidoo' is because of the Flatiron building?"
> 
> "Bobby" Henry said, momentarily startled, "Yes, I did know that. What are you…"
> 
> "I had a feeling you would be coming over today. I mean, you can't work for too long without an office, can
> you? You need to find a place fast, and this place is perfect for you. Here look around. There is plenty of space out here in the waiting room, for a secretary and a desk, and the office is fantastic, here take a look. I know you will love it." Bobby opened the door, and held it for Henry. Henry walked through and it was indeed perfect for him. He couldn't let Bobby know, he dreaded the response it would yield.
> 
> Bobby was a seasoned realtor and was better at reading poker faces than Henry was at wearing one. "I knew it! You do love it! It is perfect for you. You don't have a secretary do you? I know a woman who would be fantastic, she is blonde, types 85 words a minute, and has legs that go on for miles. I can get you her number if you like? So should I get the rental contract?" He asked, and presumably took a breath, but Henry thought it was possible that Bobby could talk for hours without stopping or breathing. Henry didn't answer.
> 
> He walked around the room, stopping at the window and looking down on the street. The room felt like a fortress, it was comforting. He turned around and looked at Bobby, who stood silently; a feat that Henry would have guessed was beyond his abilities. Short, Henry guessed about 5' zero, stout, wearing an old overcoat and a somewhat worn hat, he had a notebook in one pocket, and a racing form was peeking out of the other. His round face seemed honest, even kind, but his constant chatter, made him annoying. Henry stared at Bobby, sizing him up, looking for a clue. Who was this guy? Where did he come from? Why did Sylvia have one of Henry's cards with this address on it? Why was he wearing a coat indoors?
> 
> The room was silent, the flow of chatter out of Bobby had completely ceased, and neither one of them was talking. After 30 seconds, it was becoming uncomfortable for Henry, he expected that Bobby would start blathering on at any moment, but he didn't. He was mute. Finally Henry decided he wanted to try something and said, "It is ok, but I was wondering if you have anything else in the building, maybe on a different floor?"
> 
> "Nope, the building is full; this is the only office available. Shall I get the paperwork?" He responded. He was concise and to the point. This also surprised Henry. He couldn't get a read on Bobby.
> Henry said, "I think I would like to think about it for a while?"
> Bobby, who was now a paragon of brevity, said "Why?"
> 
> Henry knew that he was outmatched. He turned back and looked out the window, as he didn't want Bobby to see him smiling. He liked Bobby. Henry thought it best to keep that from the strange little man. He also liked the office and since taking the place seemed to already be in the cards, he decided not to fight it. "I'll take it."
> 
> Bobby made a strange noise, which might have been laughter, Henry wasn't sure. "Great, I have the contract in my office. I knew you would love the place, it is a great building. Oh you know what? I almost forgot to tell you the best part, aside from being next to the greatest deli in the world, the best part is that my office is right down the hall! We will be neighbors! I know you will love it here. The other tenants are great, except for old man Conner, but don't you worry about him, he keeps to himself. I will get the paper work. I will be right back." He scurried out of the room and silence seemed to hesitantly creep back in, not sure if it was ok.
> 
> Henry didn't know how Sylvia had gotten his business cards, which he hadn't had printed yet. He didn't know why it was so important that he have this office. All he knew is that, like it or not, he had a new friend. From down the hallway, the sound, of papers being shuffled, a door creaking as it closed, and someone's radio playing Tony Bennett's hit, "From Rags to Riches", seemed to all indicate that Henry was still on the right path.


These are like the old serials that ran in magazines when I was a kid. At least we don't have to wait a month for the next installment. Keep 'em comin, Bryan.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The New Office*
> 
> 
> 
> Henry pulled out of the drive, the book resting on the passenger seat, and the Four Knights, 'I Get So Lonely', playing on the radio. The steering wheel was cold, really cold, and Henry didn't even notice. His gloves in his pocket, all warm and napping, just waiting to get in the game were quite content where they were. In his mind, he was laying out the cards which had been dealt him, looking them over, and searching for patterns. It was obvious, that at this point, his hand was weak.
> 
> Henry reached down and changed the radio station, Frankie Laine & Jimmy Boyd, 'Tell Me A Story', seemed appropriate, so he stopped searching. Snow began to fall again. The wiper blades seemed to be keeping time. It is one thing to know that one is on the right path; it is an entirely different thing to know where that path is heading. Henry stood on the metaphorical path. It was a maze and though he knew that the 'Goal' was to end up in the DA's office with the journal and the key in hand, he wasn't sure where to turn next. Henry was sure of one thing, if he wasn't careful, and he should get lost in the maze, it could be deadly.
> 
> The cityscape changed, he crossed the bridge, the buildings grew and the traffic thickened. Whether it was paranoia, or his aching ribs, Henry kept checking his mirrors. He had a feeling that he was being watched, the moment he left the bridge and arrived on the island. Left, right, left, right, right and left, put him back on course, and he didn't see anyone, but the feeling persisted.
> 
> Henry pulled up to the address on the back of Bobby's card. Henry couldn't believe it. He stood looking up at the Flatiron Building at twenty-third street, famous for being triangular in shape and from being responsible for the phrase, 'twenty-three skidoo'. The draft from the height and shape of the building had, after the completion in 1902, caused women's skirts to fly up, which meant that the local constables had to "skidoo" the men who hung out for a peak. Henry had always hated right angles. He loved a room with character and he had been curious to see the inside of this famous address. For a moment, Henry forgot about his sore ribs, the business card from the future, and the general feeling of being watched.
> 
> He walked into the building, climbed the stairs to the third floor and started down the hall. The numbers got larger until he got to the end; there it was, at the end of the hall, the office which would have the window looking out from the point of the triangle. He hadn't called Bobby, as he wanted to check the place out, without Bobby yammering on. He reached down and found the door to be unlocked. He opened it slowly and walked in.
> 
> "Hey, Mr. Wood, I am so glad you decided to check the place out. It really suits you. Don't you love the building? You know, the phrase, '23 skidoo' is because of the Flatiron building?"
> 
> "Bobby" Henry said, momentarily startled, "Yes, I did know that. What are you…"
> 
> "I had a feeling you would be coming over today. I mean, you can't work for too long without an office, can
> you? You need to find a place fast, and this place is perfect for you. Here look around. There is plenty of space out here in the waiting room, for a secretary and a desk, and the office is fantastic, here take a look. I know you will love it." Bobby opened the door, and held it for Henry. Henry walked through and it was indeed perfect for him. He couldn't let Bobby know, he dreaded the response it would yield.
> 
> Bobby was a seasoned realtor and was better at reading poker faces than Henry was at wearing one. "I knew it! You do love it! It is perfect for you. You don't have a secretary do you? I know a woman who would be fantastic, she is blonde, types 85 words a minute, and has legs that go on for miles. I can get you her number if you like? So should I get the rental contract?" He asked, and presumably took a breath, but Henry thought it was possible that Bobby could talk for hours without stopping or breathing. Henry didn't answer.
> 
> He walked around the room, stopping at the window and looking down on the street. The room felt like a fortress, it was comforting. He turned around and looked at Bobby, who stood silently; a feat that Henry would have guessed was beyond his abilities. Short, Henry guessed about 5' zero, stout, wearing an old overcoat and a somewhat worn hat, he had a notebook in one pocket, and a racing form was peeking out of the other. His round face seemed honest, even kind, but his constant chatter, made him annoying. Henry stared at Bobby, sizing him up, looking for a clue. Who was this guy? Where did he come from? Why did Sylvia have one of Henry's cards with this address on it? Why was he wearing a coat indoors?
> 
> The room was silent, the flow of chatter out of Bobby had completely ceased, and neither one of them was talking. After 30 seconds, it was becoming uncomfortable for Henry, he expected that Bobby would start blathering on at any moment, but he didn't. He was mute. Finally Henry decided he wanted to try something and said, "It is ok, but I was wondering if you have anything else in the building, maybe on a different floor?"
> 
> "Nope, the building is full; this is the only office available. Shall I get the paperwork?" He responded. He was concise and to the point. This also surprised Henry. He couldn't get a read on Bobby.
> Henry said, "I think I would like to think about it for a while?"
> Bobby, who was now a paragon of brevity, said "Why?"
> 
> Henry knew that he was outmatched. He turned back and looked out the window, as he didn't want Bobby to see him smiling. He liked Bobby. Henry thought it best to keep that from the strange little man. He also liked the office and since taking the place seemed to already be in the cards, he decided not to fight it. "I'll take it."
> 
> Bobby made a strange noise, which might have been laughter, Henry wasn't sure. "Great, I have the contract in my office. I knew you would love the place, it is a great building. Oh you know what? I almost forgot to tell you the best part, aside from being next to the greatest deli in the world, the best part is that my office is right down the hall! We will be neighbors! I know you will love it here. The other tenants are great, except for old man Conner, but don't you worry about him, he keeps to himself. I will get the paper work. I will be right back." He scurried out of the room and silence seemed to hesitantly creep back in, not sure if it was ok.
> 
> Henry didn't know how Sylvia had gotten his business cards, which he hadn't had printed yet. He didn't know why it was so important that he have this office. All he knew is that, like it or not, he had a new friend. From down the hallway, the sound, of papers being shuffled, a door creaking as it closed, and someone's radio playing Tony Bennett's hit, "From Rags to Riches", seemed to all indicate that Henry was still on the right path.


Thoas. Angle,

I am glad you noticed that. When I started I had planned on doing 2 or 3 posts and finishing it up, but then I decided to do it like an old time serial, it is cool that you picked up on it being a serial. You made my day.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Frantic Speed Shopping*



The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.

I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.

The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.

We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.

Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.

Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!

As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.

There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Maybe It's a bit of sour grapes Brian but I can't understand why anyone would purchase Festool tools, They cost two to three times what other good tools cost . Are they that good or are their buyers going for the prestige thing or is it that they just don't know about tools. You seem Like a very intelligent person I was just trying to understand Festools appeal as far as your are concerned.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


I have used table tennis paddles that cost less than $50.00, but the one that I have at $250.00 is vastly superior, it is the same for my badmitton racquet, tennis racquet, my camera equipment, my $11,000 dollar desktop computer, in fact, every time I have purchased something of lower quality, I have almost always ended up buying the higer quality one anyways, and been upset at the waste of money. So I buy the expensive equipment, tools included, because it is just too darn expensive to buy cheap stuff.

But that is just my opinion. I am sure there are many people who couldn't explain what the difference between a $10.00 badmitton racquet and a $150.00 one, for those people, by all means, spend the $10.00.

So though I have limited experience in woodworking, the Japanese hand saw at $28.00 is not nearly as good as the one at $100.00. So I have decided, that I would rather do without a tool for a while, then buy one I don't want, and eventually spend the money anyway.

My methodology basically means that I won't have any regrets, though I may have fewer tools than those who buy a box of 50 router bits for what I spend on one. It is just what is best for me.

As for prestige, I am not sure that there is much prestige with Festool. Now the Nickle plated Veritas block plane, that is cool!


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Interesting. I guess you drive a Rolls Royce? )


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


No, I don't like cars. I usually buy disposable ones. I don't care what they look like. I have had lots of cars that cost less than $1000. My current one is probably the nicest one, it was actually bought used a while back, and it is a Chevy Mailbu. But the paint is peeling off. Which is ok.

If I were using my car for a competition, I would definitely spend tons of money on it. I just use it to get to the ACME store, so it doesn't need to be very nice.


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


On the other hand some of us simply like to collect all kinds of tools. I truly belive I need them and then never really use them as much as I thought I would because when it comes time to do the job I find something that is more practical. I end up selling them off at cheaper than I paid for.

BTW I just bought the RO150 and the CT 33. I will let you know how I like it after the weekend


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Chelios,

That sounds excellent. I can't wait to hear. I am curious, have you ever won a Stanley Cup?

Brian


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Great inside reference to Hockey Town, USA … and I agree on the general idea that you get what you pay for on tools, IT and photo equipment, even cars (although I drive a paint peeling edition of a caravan nearly 20 years old for the 3 mile round trip to work each day).


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


I do love hockey. I hope Mr. Chelios isnt' sick of that question. 

3fingerpat, thanks for the link. I am going to check it out now.


----------



## beckerswoodworks

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Jimmy Johns #5 is my all time favorite sub…


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Brian,
I'm astonished! No, really.
Your reference to your $11,000 desktop computer bowls me over.
I spent many years in the computer world, building and tending networks, installing equipment of all kinds and responding to problem calls of every sort imaginable.
Even so, I never came into contact with an eleven thousand dollar computer.
Nor have I seen a five thousand dollar one.
And I would love to have ten thousand to start my office over again. The head swirls with the thoughts of what I could buy, the computer, the peripherals, - !!!!
I thought I had a pretty good computer, with its Core2 quad processor, a boat-load of RAM and a huge hard drive.
I'm very satisfied with the nice router sitting on top of my tower and the nice fast Internet access it gives me. My two high res printers sit there on the right end of my table waiting, quivering to do my bidding, 
BUT - the whole lot didn't cost even five thousand.
The thought of spending that much on a computer while driving a car that cost less gives me a feeling like a burr under my saddle.
Of course, I've admired fine cars for many years, I've been accused of being an automotive snob, and if I could have one I'd be driving a one hundred thousand dollar car and still living in a two hundred year old house.

Priorities. We all have them and there's no accounting for them.
What I think is important and worthy of occupying the top spot on my list would make other people crazy.

But I can't get over the thought of an eleven thousand dollar computer!
Mmmm! Does it make your breakfast, too?
I'm just kidding, Brian, because I'm so stunned.

All that ramble is preface to my next comment.

I concur with Jim, who owns more tools than I would have space for or the skill to use them.
For the price of a Festool tool (that does sound like stuttering, doesn't it?) I could have several well made, well regarded tools. 
I would never, as far as I can imagine, opt for a Festool rather than a solid Grizzly, for example.

And please, please, let's not start a big argument over the idea of spending too much or too little for one's toys and tools.
Brian, I respect your right to spend your money on whatever you want. Its none of my business.
But I am overwhelmed to think of it.

d


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Brian, it sounds like you have made a good choice with whatever sander you decide to get. I have said many times that the best piece of advice I have ever been given is to "spend the most money your budget will allow" when buying a tool.

Let us know what "companion" you select for Mary.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Don't take any offense to the questions and the surprised responses regarding cost Brian. Most of us out here are frugal and have to make choices and justifications for the tools we buy. For me, it is a tradeoff. I tabulate where I will need to make a personal sacrifice in order to purchase a tool or item I want. My car is used, my clothing and house modest, tools are justified by the amount of home repair I do on my own without hiring someone. It is pretty cool to be in a position where one does not let price be the driving factor in tool purchases.

Please do keep in mind that some of the lumberjocks on here are the John Mcenroes (yes, very dated reference) of the woodworking community. So if you find yourself in a position where you do have to be more budget minded in the future, they can advise you on a good choice of quality tools at a more affordable price just like a budget minded tennis pro might be able to recommend a great racket that isn't 10 bucks or 1000, but some where in the middle.

Just our nature, I guess, to automatically calculate just how many bologna sandwiches we would be eating this year to have a shop full of Festools 

David


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Hey Brian, I still love reading your posts. Thank you.

As far as the router table top; thickness has nothing to do with it. It is flatness that you want. Thick helps to keep it flat over the years as it supports a heavy router hanging from it. So your glue up of a butcher board top sounds fun, it is only the final flatness that matters. (Good Looks help too, but heh…) The composite man-made tops can be a lot more forgiving with the seasonal changes and stresses that real wood can offer. All in all, I would think that a sufficiently built butcher board will remain flat, but I would not guarantee it with a big hole in the middle. So I guess, just make sure it is flat and strong.

Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Don,

Admittedly, the price of the computer, includes software. Many of the things I use for work, Photoshop CS3, 3Ds Max, Sony Vegas, Sound Forge, Camtasia Studio 4, and others, are very expensive, so not all of it is hardware. I make my living with my computer, so it is helpful. Some of the video renders I have done, have taken over 24 hours, and wouldn't have even been possible on a lesser machine. If I could afford it, I would spend closer to 40K, and go back to school and learn serious animation and sound editing, but for now, that isn't something I can afford. I may one day use my woodworking skills to build a small sound booth though, which would be good for doing 'stock audio'. But I digress.

I have read reveiws of Grizzly products and have seen many that speak very highly of them. So I imagine they are good too.

I am sorry if my choice of tools has offended you. I don't mean to hurt anyones feelings when I write about my woodworking journey. The truth of the matter is that I will one day buy the Sawstop table saw, despite there being lower priced table saws, and I am sure I will purchase lots of Lie-Nielson and Veritas products. That is just who I am. I hope you will still read my blog and comment as you always have interesting stuff to say.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Brian,

No, no, a thousand times, NO!
I am NOT offended.

Please forgive me if I made it sound that way.

Mea culpa.

d


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Don,

I am glad. I was pretty worried that you were. It would have stressed me out all day, so now I feel much better.

David,

You made a great point about the tennis racquets. I think the name of the one that Jimmy Conners used was the Wilson T-2000. He used the exact same version that one could buy at K-mart. I believe it cost less than $20.00. He continued to use it, even after the composite racquets became the standard on the ATP tour. He tried to switch to 'better' quality several times, but his game suffered. It cost him millions in endorsements, because Wilson stopped paying him to endorse their racquet, because they knew he would use it anyway. It was the one he liked and used it until very late in his career, when he did switch, and take some of the endorsement money. I doubt that Nadal could win a single game against anyone in the top 1000 with a T-2000. It is an intersting story, and I believe that in the right hands, anything can be the 'Best' tool or racquet as the case may be.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


SPalm,

I will do my best to make sure the table is flat and strong. It is entirely possible that I may not succeed in this regard. I am well aware that my skill set may lead to something that is hilly and weak. If that happens, well, I will try again. I think we all remember the leg hole drilling debacle.

Brian


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Brian, nobody here is offended by what you have or what your preferences are. And if they are, a swift kick to the pants would do them better than an apology  I think all inquiries are more like kick to the tires, questions like "how many miles you getting to the gallon?" "What's with the fancy hubs on those wheels?" I won't offend the ladies out here as calling it "man talk" but it is just the usual banter people make about the tools and wood. We live and breathe it, so conversation flows, comments are made.

I was in Harbor Freight a couple years ago and seen a 5 speed bench drill press on sale for 30 bucks. I was looking for a drill guide and made the quick decision to go with the press. As I was heading to the register, this guy looked at my box and bellowed at me "I wouldn't put that piece of sh%$ in MY shop!" I stopped for a second, looked aghast and yelled back "Great! Now what am I supposed to get you for Christmas?" The look of complete puzzlement really made my day. I continued on to the register without one bit of annoyance.

Some of us use the Wilson T-2000, some of us use the composite racquets that are made only from the rare tropical koipybigbuck tree that grows upside down where pygmies engineer it for aerodynamic greatness. The only important thing is that all of us are on the courts swinging away.

Have fun and don't worry about it 

David


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Crazy talk… Is that Martin Short?

I agree, if you are not a master it's far more fun to get good tools because you don't have the skills to tweak and "make" it work.

I had one of those Wilsons… From K-Mart. Under 20 bucks.. And I sucked.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Brian,
Is sounds like you may be planning to sand your glued top flat. Have you considered using hand planes?

Best,
Bill (proud owner of 15 new Jorgenson pony clamps and 15 pieces of 3/4", 48" black pipe-which was a purchase I spread over several months for psychological reasons! It sounds like you may need similar clamps for every 6" of top you are planning to glue as well)!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Bill729,

I don't know what a pony clamp is. I am going to google it. I just glued up my first set of 1×2's. I used regular clamps and the cauls I built a while back. I have been dying to use them, and they were great.

I have considered sanding my glued top flat, but I don't think I am going to be able to do a good enough job. So I am now thinking about using a hand plane. I was thinking that I could buy my first hand plane to get it flat, then use some sanding to make it smooth.

My qustion for you, is which plane should I consider? Is a Veritas Block plane a good choice for the job, or would a Lie-Nielson Stanly No. 4, be better. A Jack plane perhaps? I just don't know enough about them to make a decision. Any ideas?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Bill729,

I think I understand what Pony clamps are now. I only have a handful of clamps. I think I will be able to glue things up in sections, with what I have, but I may need to buy a few more for the final glue up. I like buying clamps.

I didn't know about spacing at 6". That is really helpful.

Thanks


----------



## Lenny

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


The Wilson T-2000, may it rest in peace!










Hi Brian. I just read this thread this morning and couldn't resist taking the photo and posting it. I hope you don't mind. Besides my wife and children, I am passionate about two things: woodworking and tennis. Needless to say, I found this post to be most engaging as somehow analogies occurred between the equipment of both.

I bought the racket in 1975 at a local department store, similar to a K-Mart. By the way, you were way off on the cost. I paid at least $24.99. It came of course already strung (I didn't even know you could buy a racket unstrung at the time.) AND with a free cover. I had recently gone to a tennis exhibition at the Providence Civic Center to see Jimmy Connors play Ilie Nasatashe. It was the first time I saw pro tennis played live and I was in awe. I just had to have a T-2000. Today, I wouldn't think of buying a pre-strung racket or one from a department store. Thanks again for the post which elicited great discussion.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Frantic Speed Shopping*
> 
> 
> 
> The sun was out today and it was the first time this year that I noticed the days seem to be hanging out a bit longer. They are sneaky that way, sort of creeping up on spring. After all the snow this winter, I will welcome spring with a giddiness that I haven't experienced in years. Of course, it was still cold out, when I got into my car, but the sunlight on my face warmed my spirits considerably.
> 
> I had errands to run. I needed to get some petrol and oil for my car. I was craving a Jimmy John's sub, so that was also on my list. The top task on my list however, was to try to make it over to ACME tool before they closed, so I could see the Festool rep. I had marked on my calendar that he would be in town on the 24th and 25th and today is the 24th! Since I purchased Mary the Jigsaw, I have been interested in seeing either the 5" RQ 125 FEQ or the 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander in action.
> 
> The Festool representative, Matt, had a piece of tiger wood, which had recently admitted to cheating on his wife with several types of exotics, from all over the world. Not only did I get to see it in action, I got to do the sanding! It was fantastic. He explained how to hold it correctly and also told my why it was important. Because of the design, it sort of looks like one might hold the sander too far back. He explained that this would lead to horrible chatter. So I did as he had instructed and there wasn't any chatter, it was smoother than a famous golfer picking up a porn star.
> 
> We started with some 120 grit and worked our way up until we were using some weird space age polishing pads. I have read that new woodworkers often over sand. The 6" RQ 150 FEQ sander, which has a random orbital setting and a gear setting, also has an attachment which collects dust. The dust collection was incredible. There simply wasn't any, the tiny little vacuum seemed to get it all. When I had made it through all the grits and polishing pads, the wood was polished like a new driver.
> 
> Before I knew it, the store was closing. I wasn't prepared to make my purchase today, as I like to mull tool buying decisions over, but I also was not at all prepared to leave ACME tool empty handed. That would be crazy talk. So in a near panic I scooted over to the section with measuring and marking devices. I swooped down the aisle, deftly grabbing a Crown Tools 10 ½ inch bevel in rosewood, a wheel marking guage by Shop Basics, and then frantically hailed one of the remaining workers, to unlock the Freud router bit cabinet. The ACME guys are always friendly, and they never rush me, but I have developed a terrible habit of making them wait on me to close up, so I am trying to do better. I looked at my iphone and I had my new ¼" double flute straight bit, with one minute to spare. I plopped the stuff on the counter and bought them. Whew that was close.
> 
> Worry not, if you thought that the closing of ACME, cut my woodworking shopping short, for I still intended to wonder over to Home Depot. Between ACME tools and Home Depot is a Jimmy John's sub shop, so that played right into my plans. I had the #5. Yummy!
> 
> As many of you know, I am working on building a router table. I have some ¾" ODF, which I thought I might take two sheets of and glue them together for the top. I have decided against that option, in favor of a more expensive one. I want each project to teach me a bit more about woodworking. So I have decided to glue up a bunch of 1×2 pieces of hard maple and oak, to create the table. Of course, I will be standing the pieces on their edge, so that the final thickness will be similar to the 2 pieces of ODF, but it will let me do some gluing. Also, I have been dying to try out my cauls, so this should be fun.
> 
> There is one additional benefit. I plan to assemble the tops, such that there is an opening, which is about a half inch smaller than my router table plate. This eliminates the need to cut a hole. I will give a more detailed explanation about how I approached my table top, after I have completed it. I bought 70 linear feet of wood, a piano hinge, and some Titebond II Premium wood glue. All in all, a good day, and now I get to go downstairs and cut some wood.


Brian, You would need (at least) one "Heavy plane to remove a lot of stock" (a jack plane) and a smoothing plane (#4). Someone showed me how to put a lot of camber in a plane iron so that it cuts like a scrub plane. You would use that diagonally, going both ways, and finish with the smoother along the length of the table. To be honest, I'm not sure what the tolerances are for flatness on a routing table. Man-made materials probably can't be competed with for flatness, but I think that the planes will level a nice table/workbech top. Hopefully, someone who has alot more experience than I do will be willing to share their thoughts.

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

*Is It Worth It?*



The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?

Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.

There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.

It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.

There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.

So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today

I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.

This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.

So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.



Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.

I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.

Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.

Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.

So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


i say get the tools you feel comfortable using ,
it's more fun that way ,
and you won't be frustrated over shoddy results .

or as jim mentioned yesterday ,

buy a rolls , and visit all your LJ buddy's ,
and compare tools !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


I really don't care for cars that much, though if I had to buy something shinny, I would probably go with a Mini Cooper. I do like those. And visiting my LJ Buddys seems like a great idea.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


Brian, lets review what you have said. You want to compare your low end against the high end that you used. Thats not a comparison. The question is how does the high end sander compare against other high end sanders. Making use of this resource lets start by clicking on the ' reviews' tab at the top of this page. On the right hand side of the page is an index, scroll down to sanders. Their are 69 reviews plus many comments. By all means view as many as you like. It won't take to long as there all types of sanders listed. But please look at the rigid at the top of page 5 and scroll to the festool at the bottom of page 5 and go on to page six the rigid again. I picked this as it also a six inch sander, and my personal favorite. I'll let the reviews speak for themselves. Now a couple of questions Hook and loop 6 inch sanding discs are not commonly carried. HD, who sells rigid, stocks Norton disc's in the common wood working grits and I order higher grits up to 1500 from Kingspor. Average is around a dollar a disc. One of the advantages of H&L is that you can change and save disc's putting them on and off as many times as you want until the are used up. stick ons generally can only be attached once. Festool I believe, has to have a special disc. How much do the cost and how hard are they to find. My point is that if you want to compare this is a very good place to start. You have a Bosch router suggesting that this is a good quality product, doesn't Bosch, a brand that you have experience with also deserve a look. And by the way if you proceed as planed your going to want a good sander to flatten the top of that router table.I've spent about 10 hours sanding my bench top in the last 2 days.


----------



## jlsmith5963

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


Something that hasn't been mention yet (or at least I haven't seen it) regarding evaluating the relative value of a tool is what's on the inside. One of the major ways a manufacturer can reduce their price point is to use more plastic parts for the gears and such and of course this has a direct bearing on the life of the machine. Unfortunately, this type of information is not easy to find since most reviews understandably focus on performance and not life cycle issues. However I have had some luck, in the past, contacting a rep for a tool that I am considering and asking for a run down on how the tool is made.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


RTB,

I addressed your comment…"compare low end against the high end" I said it wasn't scientific. It was NOT going to answer the question about comparing apples to apples. (Ok, I actually said, Apples to Bananas, because I do that when I am trying to be funny) I also said, that it wasn't my intent to make the comparison you described. I want to know the depth and bredth of the difference. Given access to 5 or 6 sanders, I would do a scientific study. I am simply comparing two options at this time. If the difference between the low quality and the high quality isn't much, then I would probably move sander way down on my priority list. That is all.

I have a background in analytics with GEICO, so I agree with your point and it is very valid. To make a fair assesment and to then make a statement about Festool vs. (Company A, B & C), I would need to do a fair comparison. I am doing a comparison to answer a very specific question that I have about the time vs. quality of what I have now, compared to what many people believe is a high end option.

If we assume that Festool is one of the high end options, then my results will lay down a baseline which will help me to analyze the cost versus the quality of all the choices between low end and high end.

The disks for the Festool can be found at ACME, which is where I would buy the sander, if I choose that route.

I will definitely read the reveiws you suggested. They may well be as good as Festool. I do like my Bosch router.

Great response though, a lot of fantastic information.

Jlsmsith5963,

That is an excellent point about the parts. I am going to look into that as well.

Brian


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


Brian, it sounds as if you have already made up your mind to get the Festool sander since you are going back for another demo. Go for it!!! I am sure Mary is needing some companionship.


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


Just to comment on the earlier part of your blog, I think the reason we spend so much time agonizing over the decisions is because we are reminded of our choice every time we use the product. Every time I use my tablesaw, I kick myself because I made an error in my purchase. It is a good saw, but doesn't really meet the needs I purchased it for. On the other hand, I have a few tools, like my inexpensive $10 8" irwin flush cutting pull saw and my very expensive (compared to my other tools) that make me happy every time I use them (except when the DC pops a breaker - separate topic though).

I doubt I'll be getting a festool tool anytime in the future, but if i could afford it, I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up loving them. I'm looking forward to your comparison.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


HokieMojo,

Thanks for the comment.

I am pleased to see that I have another feline reader. Judging from the avatar pictures, there are a lot more cats who do woodworking, than dogs. Cats are cool.

Brian


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


I agree with HokieMojo. A bad or good decision is re-lived over and over again. We have a relationship with our tools. They are our helpmate or nagging spouse, and in some cases that relationship has to last forever. When one pulls the trigger on the purchase, they usually stick with it until the tool dies. It is hard enough justifying the cost the first time around, and the second is that much more difficult.

I will say this in defense of cheaper tools. They will teach you what you want or do not want in your tool relationship. They are like the girlfriends/boyfriends you date before you slip the ring on your finger. My cheap craftsman tablesaw taught me what I wanted in a heavier, more pricey model. When you first buy a tool, you really don't know what you were planning on doing with it and you don't learn that lesson, sometimes, until you find yourself wanting to do something but can't because of the hardware limitations. In the interim, a cheap tool teaches you to cut, lathe, drill, route, etc. And that experience sometimes doesn't come from the long penny count for the better machine. I bought my first tablesaw, router, and scrollsaw with the assumption that these would not be permanent purchases. I had a few hundred bucks and wanted to get in the hobby and learn what it is all about. The experience points gained was worth the initial investment.

I also agree with David, go with what you enjoy using. Most of my tools are based on the feel of the tool (further enhanced by knowing too well what that cheap tool felt like). My new purchases are less agonizing. I do the research, find out if it does the things I really want it to (and I also think ahead to what I want to be able to do in the future). And, in the long run, it probably saved me some money and some heartache as I didn't pull the trigger on an expensive tool I hate but can't justify replacing until I get so tired of it that I end up replacing it anyway.

Over all, though, you are the one getting married. And one thing I learned is that you don't let your buddies tell you what to look for in that special gal/guy.

Enjoy Brian!

David


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


Great insight, as always David, though your comparison to 'getting married' has frightened me a bit.

If I had to convince a tool to 'let' me take it out, I would be stuck trying to fashion my projects using a sharp rock.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


Yes, well you might want to keep one in your shop as a reminder why you have the tools. When you are a few grand poorer you might have some days where that rock looks pretty good


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Is It Worth It?*
> 
> 
> 
> The best part about blogging, as a beginner at woodworking, is that one learns much more than they would, were they doing the woodworking alone. Yesterday's blog had some great reactions, and posed a great question, is it worth it?
> 
> Is it worth the extra dollars for the expensive equipment? An experienced woodworker, who has tried a full gamut of tools, could give a solid argument for or against. I am not such a woodworker. With every purchase, the pros and cons must be weighed.
> 
> There is an old adage; you get what you pay for. There is another one which goes, buy the best tool you can afford. Of course, old Ben Franklin used to say, and probably would still, were his voice not impeded by a nasty case of death, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' Historically, I have been a terrible impulse shopper, not at all taking Ben's advice. This has not been the case with woodworking however. (He said, knowing full and well, he ran amok with impulse purchases just yesterday, and wrote a considerable blog piece about that very fact.) It is the first time in my life where I have mulled over purchases for weeks or months, before making a decision. I spent a least a month deciding on the Bosch router. I took a week just to pick out a new set of drill bits. The decision to build or buy a router table started in November.
> 
> It isn't because of a new found restraint. It is more a case of fascination with all that is out there, and the research is definitely educational. I actually find the process enjoyable. Maybe it is that way with other things too, I wouldn't know, as I haven't ever tried it before. So this brings me back to the current items, which are trying their best to make it to the top of my list. I am considering the Festool RO Sander, a collection of nice chisels is something I would like, my first hand plane might be the Veritas block plane, a drill press or DJ1 drilling jig, a planer, SawStop table saw, and nice moisture meter.
> 
> There are lots of other wonderful items, like a band saw, lather, and some nice spray equipment for finishing furniture, but they aren't high enough on the list to mention. Oh wait, I just mentioned them. Oh well, I am on a roll.
> 
> So I continue to do research. Which brings me back to the discussion about the Festool sander we had today, and I don't know that I am able to give an answer one way or the other. I do know that I was very impressed with how the wood glowed after I used the 6" sander. So I wanted to check it out again. Today
> 
> I went prepared to do my own, very unscientific test. I took in a piece of rough cut walnut, cut to 33". I have lots and lots of this walnut, so this test will be more meaningful to me, than working on scrap pieces that Matt had with him. Because there wasn't a lot of time, I decided to a comparison based upon how much progress I could make in 15 minutes. Of course, I lost track of time, and ended up going 16 minutes.
> 
> This is how my test will go. I have spent 16 minutes sanding with the items that come in the 6" kit, on one side of the rough wood. I will now use my existing equipment, a belt sander and mouse sander, and see what I can accomplish in 16 minutes. I want to know how much difference there is between my current, albeit meager set up, and the Festool. It is not apples to bananas, by any means, and I am aware of that.
> 
> So today I have included a picture of the wood, in rough cut form, as a bit of a teaser for tomorrow's blog.
> 
> 
> 
> Now will this answer the question, "Is the extra money worth it, for the Festool, versus another company's less expensive option?" No, as I said, it isn't scientific. It will answer the question, how much improvement will I get for my dollars.
> 
> I should mention that there was a customer with Matt the Festool guy, when I arrived. He had a finishing sander with him, which he had bought about a year ago. He didn't feel like it did the job he wanted, not by a long shot. The customer builds furniture and cabinets and had used several other, very nice quality finishing sanders, before buying the Festool a year ago. He was very polite and explained that he honestly didn't know if it was his sander, or operator error. Matt got out the piece of tiger wood that I had sanded on one side the day before. The customer looked at it and said he remembered seeing a piece of wood at the demo last year, and he truly didn't believe that there wasn't a finish on the wood. I told him that I had done the sanding yesterday.
> 
> Matt turned the wood over and made a couple of passes with the customer's sander, using the 220 grit paper that was on it. He sanded for only a very short while, and then stopped. All three of us felt the wood. It felt just like I expected, as I had done the same thing the day before. The customer thought it felt really good too.
> 
> Around the table he walked, and grabbed a piece of scrap lumber and tried it himself. Sure enough, his sander worked just fine. But the customer still seemed confused. So they got the exact sander, which the customer had used, prior to buying the Festool. They fired it up and it was much noisier. After using both of them, side by side, the customer realized that his sander was working so much quicker, quieter, and the dust collection was so complete, that he was being fooled into thinking it wasn't working. The last tip that Matt gave him, was to dial down the vacuum, which when on high, sometimes creates too much suction. The middle of the road suction worked better for his model of sander. In the end, he loved his tool, and left feeling much better about his purchase.
> 
> So I am going to do my test, which will help me decide if I want to move it up the list. I may not learn anything that is helpful to anyone else, but what I will have done is recorded what I was thinking about and my reasoning for making the decision. This may one day, down the road, be incredibly valuable to me. I hope it will be interesting to all of you.


It's all about expectations. You can expect a lot out of an expensive tool, but you will almost always be disappointed in a cheap tool because it won't perform as well nor last as long as you hoped.


----------



## Ecocandle

*No Surprises*



The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.

The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.







When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.

So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.

Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.

So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.

It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.

The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


----------



## beckerswoodworks

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


A little tip that can help speed up the gluing process when you have limited clamps: Even though the glue needs to set overnight to fully harden, you can generally take the clamps off after 15 minutes and begin work on the next set.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Sorry Don but I think 2-3 hours perhaps. there are other considerations such as humidity and temp. I just glued an 11 inch wide section of bench top. I was in the clamps for >96 hours and the boards it was siting on had wet glue when they were removed.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


I appreciate the tips. The bottle says that I should wait 30 minutes. The humidity in my basement, because I use a dehumidifyer running all the time, is very low, that and it being winter, so that is good. I let my first one sit for 4 hours, because there was a post gluing nap. It seems like it did pretty well.

I may test other times tomorrow. If I take the clamps off too quickly, I suppose I can always reglue.

Either way, I appreciate the help.

THANKS!


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Mmmmm…. Walnut, yarn, naps…. mmmm.

Several hundred board feet of walnut, in your basement. That's like living inside Fort Knox!
Oh, your test may be invalid because there's just no such thing as bad walnut.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Hey Outputter….I think I am off to take a nap now myself.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Amen.


----------



## webwood

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


very cool - clamping time is no less than 30 - more in panel type glue ups - glue ups are an art in itself , as far as high end tools - de walt , bosch , millwaukee - all very good - porter cable was good as well but not sure since they joined with others- i have looked at festool and they are impressive but i have owned de walt planers,sanders,drills etc and gotten many years of accurate service from them - you're blog is great - been following for awhile


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Erik and Christy,

Thanks for leaving a messsage. I enjoy meeting and chatting with people who follow my rambings. I have a DeWalt drill, which has been nice, and a Bosch routher. I agree, they are good companies too. I have also read a lot of fine reviews about Milwaukee products.

Thanks again for stopping in and saying Hello.

Brian


----------



## hObOmOnk

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Suggestion: IMNSHO, Too much sanding.

I better way to process rough wood is through stages of planing, scraping then sanding.

In the end you'll have a better finish with less dust, less noise and less expense.

On most of my projects, I only use a little hand sanding at the end of the planing and scraping - no power sanding is required. On small pieces, such as my plant stands and accessory tables, I may use *NO* sanding at all.

Note: My "shop" is mostly outdoors. I have an indoor studio, but a major part of my philosophy it to work outdoors. I have outdoor electrical outlets for my studio building, when I need electrical power. All of my power tools are on wheels so that they can be moved outside when needed. However, I am mostly a hand tool worker.

Sanding outside allows nature to assist me with dust removal. Gentle Kentucky breezes dispose of my sanding dust just like they did for Grandpa - weather permitting.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Dr. Good Wood,

Excellent Diagnosis. I will eventually have a planer, some hand planes, and a few scrapers. When I do, I will use them, and do exactly what you are presscribing.

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Brian,

As always, I enjoyed reading of your excitement with the hobby. I am, however, a little concerned about the "cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn." Have my cats been PMing you for advice again? I think that it is time to check my credit card activity and start logging out of LJs when I leave.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Chuck,

I can neither confirm or deny any correspondence between myself and your cats.

Brian


----------



## hObOmOnk

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


E. C. O'Candle,

Woodworking is a journey, not a destination.

I wish that I had said that.


----------



## jpw1995

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


Brian,

First of all… Great blog. I never miss an entry. That being said, I do not always read all the replies so please forgive me if someone else has already made this point. You were absolutely correct when you quoted in your last post "you get what you pay for". This is not only in reference to the results you see from high end tools, but also the overall life of the tools. In general, high end tools, especially Festool, have been proven to be of better construction than less expensive tools (Skil, Black & Decker, etc.). I've learned that the hard way. I've also seen articles in woodworking publications with specific differences in construction material listed. Sorry I can't reference the exact magazine, but I'm sure a Google search with locate it easily. Anyway… that's my two cents. Just remeber that a B&D sander may produce similar results as a Festool sander today, but 5 years from now the Festool sander will most likely continue to produce these results while a B&D sander may very well be at rest in a landfill somewhere.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


JPW1995,

Thanks for the kind words on the blog. I think you have made a valid point. I agree that paying for quality is the least expensive route in the long run.

It is obvious from your avatar picture that you are some sort of woodworking secret agent. So I understand that you can't 'break cover' and post a response to the blog more frequently. It is nice to know that you are out there though, keeping us safe from those hobbiest to who are into scrap booking. They are a sneaky bunch.

Brian


----------



## jpw1995

Ecocandle said:


> *No Surprises*
> 
> 
> 
> The timer on my iphone was set to 16 minutes. I hit start and it began counting down. My belt sander went to work on the piece of walnut. Slowly it began to remove change the board's face from rough cut to a smooth surface. I focused on even strokes back and forth and let it do the work. When the deep cuts were mostly gone, with seven minutes remaining, I switched to my mouse sander. The mouse sander did a nice job with various grits for the remaining 7 minutes.
> 
> The follow three images are, rough, low end sanders, Festool 150.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I wiped both sides off and compared, I was not surprised that the side which had been worked on by the Festool 150, was much nicer. The side that was completed with my low end sanders was still rather good looking. I would say that I have several hundred board feet of very handsome walnut.
> 
> So what did I learn? I learned that the expensive tool is quieter, somewhat faster, and performs a level that is superior to what I have now. This is not at all surprising. The real value is getting to compare my current capabilities with what is possible and then to assess how that relates to the project I am working on now. When I think in those terms, I come to the conclusion, that at this moment, I am not going to spend the money to buy the Festool.
> 
> Is this my final word on the Festool sander? No, not at all, as there will come a day, when I am building another project, one in which I desire a higher quality result, that I will likely revisit the issue. It was suggested that I read some of the reviews on the Lumberjocks site. This was very helpful.
> 
> So I gained a bit of experience about sanding and really enjoyed seeing how beautiful all the wood, which is stacked in my basement, really is.
> 
> It should be no surprise to anyone that 16 minutes of woodworking is not nearly enough. I have begun gluing the 22 inch pieces of hard maple together. The first set of 4 that I slathered Titebond on, were tricky little devils. Who knew that glue could be so slippery? Actually, I would imagine that most woodworkers knew that, but for me it was something new. The best part about the first glue up was that after I had clamped them together, I noticed that the first board had ridden up a bit. Did I panic? No, I put the glued up section in the cauls I built. I tightened the cauls up and the little bit of unevenness disappeared. I was very proud of my little cauls, performing their job so admirably.
> 
> The process of building the top for my router table will move slowly, as I only have enough clamps to do one set of boards at a time. That is ok, as I am such a novice at gluing up stuff, that doing them one at a time, will allow me to learn with each set. As with each other skill in woodworking, it just takes practice and repetition to get good at it. Or so I would imagine. Every time I try something new, I get very excited and it makes me happier than a cat who has won a bid on EBay for a giant ball of yarn.


"Look, it's not in my nature to be mysterious, but I can't talk about it, and I can't talk about why."


----------



## Ecocandle

*Afternoon Delight*



The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".

I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?

Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.

My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.



The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.



I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.



I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.

It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."

Feel free to sing along.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


Actually Brian, the belt sander seems to be the tool of choice for "flatening" a top of this type. of course final flatening can't be completed until all of the sections are glued together. For what its worth I slathered the glue on both sides coming together with a paint brush. and it was not brushed out. Of course this led to squeeze out, which I sanded off ( with my belt sander). I have brushed on a couple of coats of BLO wich will be the only finish used on the top and where the squeeze out was.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


That is good to know. I thought I would try to get them all close, before final sand up, and then give it one more round afterwards. Bolied Linseed Oil does seem like the way to go. We will see.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


You wrote: "I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat."

I agree that you you will be able to sand it until it is smooth, but I think flatness is quite another matter. What basis do you have for thinking you can sand a large surface flat? Are you going to focus on the "high spots" with straight-edge? I don't want to see you go bonkers. But I don't speak from a great deal of experience either, so I may be completely wrong!

On the other hand, maybe only the area near the cutting edge needs to truly be flat..and sanding may be sufficent to accomplish this. Wishing you continued good luck from the sidelines!

Bill


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


I commend your efforts and observations through activity Brian. I think it would be rather difficult to achieve a full flat surface through the sanding method you are currently using. Part of the problem is the small surface area that your sander would have. Face to face and edge to edge gluing is best accomplished if the board is jointed and planed. If you prefer to stick with hand tools, you might want to look at a jointer plane. Here is a link to a Lie Nelson model.

Jointer planes are rather large in body. When attempting to true a board, the plane needs to sit on a larger surface area. This is why smaller planers, like a block plane for example, does not work as well. A new, high quality hand jointer plane will run you about the same price as a good quality power planer or jointer. If you go with a power tool set, you will need both a jointer and a planer. The jointer will flatten the face and edge, the thickness planer will surface it down to an even thickness.

I will not say that a sander will not work, they do make drum sanders that function like planers. It just has to do with the complexities of attempting to flatten a large surface one small section at a time. Before your next glue-up, lay your boards down on a flat surface and shine a light on the bottom edge and look on the other side. It will help you identify areas where the board has gaps that will be problematic.

I hope this helps and I am not just relaying what you already know.

Good luck and keep us posted,

David


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


David,

I have spent a lot of time at Lie Nelson the past couple of days, looking over their hand planes. I wasn't sure which one would be best. Thanks for helping me know what I should be considering.

Brian


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


If you don't mind sharing my recent experiences. Hand planes….This might just lead you down the path of more and more tools…You will need the sharpening tools to get the planes to work properly, etc. Then, you probably get 20 good shaves before the magic wears out. After that it depends on how strong a back and arms you got. Instead I ended up getting alot of miles and succes from my ridgid 6 in jointer. It has made a world of difference. It is fast, accurate and cheap. My jointer and table saw cost the same as my jointer plane and jack plane from Lie Neilsen.

Don't get me wrong, I love my hand tools, but they only provide me confidence when I have to do something very detailed and controlled.

Also those gaps between the boards magically dissappear when you pass your boards through the jointer. It is very satisfying to see a lamination assembly come together when there are no gaps.

best


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


The recommendations about tools that do a great job of flattening do have a point. There is a lot of satisfaction in getting a task done well and quickly. However, I remember shooting pool many years ago. I was facing a difficult shot and I thought I needed to point out that my cue stick was curved. I got a very quick and terse reply - "It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools". I nodded in agreement and then made the shot.
Since then, I have always managed to find a way to meet my goals with the tools I have. In your case, if you want to create a flat surface with a sander, you can. It will take some time and a straightedge can come in handy. When you are laminating, the goal is no gaps and two straight edges is a very good way to achieve this. However two boards with matching curves will also have no gaps. Just an observation…


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


The world used to be flat.


----------



## Tangle

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


Check out E-Bay for planes. No need to spend a fortune to get that top flat.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


You make a good point sras and I agree, however, I know Brian is putting together a list of tools for his shop and I knew he was looking at planes so I threw a few suggestions of future tools his way.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


Hey Brian,

Here comes all that flattening advice from every corner. IMHO you will probably not be able to do it with a beltsander. Maybe you will, but I also like to sand, and I think not. Luckily you have a lot of thickness to play with, so go for it. When I have been faced with flattening such a surface (counter tops, bench tops) I have used a router in a sled that slides over the top. It works great to level the surface, then you sand it for smooth.

Planes are how they are traditionally flattened, but are too much work for me.
Steve


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


I refer you to another woodworking savant who said "...I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway, and more, much more than this, I did it my way…", Frank Sinatra. When you've done it your way Brian, just slap a good phenolic slab on top, and it will be as flat as it can get. By the way, with all the talk of getting what you pay for and cheap tools wearing out, I'll offer this. I've yet to have a cheap tool wear out. They seem to hang on a lot longer than you want them to, working just good enough to interfere with your decision to get the good tool. Beware the cheap tool curse.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


Question: would passing new boards through a 12.5" planer help with the (face-to-face) glue-up? Any sanding after the planing? I am really enjoying the discussion!

Thank you,
Bill


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Afternoon Delight*
> 
> 
> 
> The memories are always there, just waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. It can be the mouth watering smells, wafting out from a bakery, or the glow of a corn field as the day gets chased away by dusk. For me, it is often the first few bars of a favorite song. Today, driving back from Cedar Rapids, as the sun was setting, and the snow cover fields seemed somewhat less frigid, my childhood memories came knocking. As the car took me home, the radio took me back to 1976. I was nine years old, loved baseball cards, Casey Kasem, and a fun little song by Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight".
> 
> I remember sitting by the stereo, with a cassette in the player, and my finger hovering over the record button, just waiting to hear my new favorite song. At nine years old, I listened to the lyrics, "Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite, looking forward to a little afternoon delight." I imagined that the song was talking about eating bomb pops, which to me would be delightful. What else could it mean? "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight, gonna grab some afternoon delight", that is obviously a reference to snacking, isn't it?
> 
> Of course, those who were a bit more mature knew what the song was talking about, or so they thought. Though it is a romantic little tune, the 'Afternoon Delight', is in fact, a reference to the band's favorite lunch choice, from Clyde's in DC. I learned this many years later, while sitting at the Clyde's in Chevy Chase Maryland. I looked down and saw the name of the sandwich on the menu, and when I commented to the bartender that there was a song by that title, she smiled, took the menu from my hand and flipped it to the back cover. There was the band, and the article explaining that the song was paying homage to the very sandwich I had ordered.
> 
> My first set of 4 pieces of maple, which I had glued together, was not quite as brilliant as I had hoped. The ends had small gaps between a couple of the pieces, and there was a tiny gap in the middle as well. As a group, they were connected to one another with an iron grip, but that isn't quite good enough. It is important that they be without gaps.
> 
> 
> 
> The learning continues. I need to apply glue evenly across the entire surface of the board. I reasoned that if I used my little plastic scraper to press glue into the gaps. Another round of clamping and success was mine. There was a brief round of clapping from the gallery.
> 
> 
> 
> I have read of the evils of squeeze out. How it can really mess up the look when one is applying finish. I wanted to avoid squeeze out, so I didn't apply enough glue. As I looked at my gapless glue up, I took a heavy sigh and examined the amount of glue that was on the surface. I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get rid of, but I was determined to continue my education, so into the vice it went. Out came my belt sander and I proceeded to run it across the edge until there was nary a smidgeon of glue. When the glue was gone, so was the unevenness of the individual pieces of wood.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought that it was possible to grind down the edges of my glue up, with my belt sander, but I feared that I would get a really wavy surface. It was much flatter than I imagined. Would it have been easier to run it through a planer? I am certain that it would have been much easier. Would it be simpler to use a hand plane? Yes, it most likely would. Am I, as a person without a planer or the correct hand plane, going to be unable to get a nice surface for my router table? I am not entirely sure yet, but I think it is entirely possible to simply sand it down, until it is flat.
> 
> It will take a while. I like sanding, so I will spend the time, because, "My motto's always been; when it's right, its right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always going to be there anyway. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight…ooo…Afternoon Delight."
> 
> Feel free to sing along.


Brian, Do a search on "scary sharp" before you lay out big bucks on sharpening equipment. Like it says in the Bible, "Count your costs" before making any big decision. There seem to be plenty of "hidden costs" in the woodworking game-I recently spent about $40 on silicon carbide sandpaper (for sharpening). Fine sharpening stones cost several multiples more but may be cheaper in the long run. Have fun!

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Measure of Time*



The outpouring of ideas from everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have been struggling with how I should get the router table to be flat, or at the very least to f sharp. So I sat at the piano and tickled the ivories.

Many of you might be astonished to find that I play the piano; well you need not be, as I really don't. When I turned 38, and realized it had been 20 years since I had graduated high school, it seemed that it was just about time to get my midlife crisis underway. I bought a really nice Yamaha electric piano with weighted keys. It was either that or take up smoking. I took four lessons from an angry Russian woman who complained, "De problem with teaching the children in dis country, is dat the parents, they don't let you hit their children. It is disgusting, how are they supposed to learn." And then she said, after a heavy sigh, "stupid Americans."

I didn't progress much with her, but I still like to sit at my piano and goof around. It is a good place to think. I thought about trying to sand a perfectly flat surface, and one side of my brain tells me that it is possible, but unlikely, while the other side tells me that it is impossible and really unlikely. I considered trying to get my antique jack plane tuned up, but I don't think I quite have the skill set for restoring the plane at this time, let alone, getting it in good enough shape to accomplish my task. The Makita 2012 NB table top planer seems like a good option, and Del at ACME has said they could order me one. But I am not quite ready to pull that trigger.



So I play a bit and think a bit. Then I go downstairs and glue up another set of boards. With each set, I get closer to needing to make a decision. I also find that with each set I am getting better at my set up and execution of the glue up. I lay the boards out parallel to one another, apply glue to the first board, use my plastic spreading card to get an even coat of glue, and then stack the next board on to the one with the glue. I have also started to put little spacers into the cauls, to hold them open. This has made getting the boards into the cauls considerably easier. After trying a couple of different strategies for getting the wax paper in place, I now wrap a layer around the ends of the glued up set of boards, before I slide it into the caul. This is easier than trying to put the paper in afterwards. Once the boards are into the cauls, I tighten them a little bit, but not too snug. I clamp the ends next, which I made sure stuck out past the cauls by about 3 inches. Lastly I slide my Jet clamps under the boards, rotate them up, and tighten. I finish by tightening the cauls.

!

I will not describe the methodology I used initially because it involved a lot more chaos and swearing. I glued up my boards in seven mini sections, and now am gluing the seven mini sections into three. The middle section is kept separate from the others, as it needs to be cut in half, thus creating the opening for the router plate. I have left an excess of about 1 ¾ inches on the middle section, and about 1 inch on the end sections. This will allow me to finish up the sizing by trimming off both ends. Since I knew that this step was part of my plans, I avoided stressing out about having the ends perfectly lined up. I got them as close as I could, and that was good enough.



The joy of this project grows with each step. Actually doing a glue up is sort of exciting. I am sure that future glue ups will require much greater attention to squeeze out, but that is ok. I will cross that sticky bridge when I get to it.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *A Measure of Time*
> 
> 
> 
> The outpouring of ideas from everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have been struggling with how I should get the router table to be flat, or at the very least to f sharp. So I sat at the piano and tickled the ivories.
> 
> Many of you might be astonished to find that I play the piano; well you need not be, as I really don't. When I turned 38, and realized it had been 20 years since I had graduated high school, it seemed that it was just about time to get my midlife crisis underway. I bought a really nice Yamaha electric piano with weighted keys. It was either that or take up smoking. I took four lessons from an angry Russian woman who complained, "De problem with teaching the children in dis country, is dat the parents, they don't let you hit their children. It is disgusting, how are they supposed to learn." And then she said, after a heavy sigh, "stupid Americans."
> 
> I didn't progress much with her, but I still like to sit at my piano and goof around. It is a good place to think. I thought about trying to sand a perfectly flat surface, and one side of my brain tells me that it is possible, but unlikely, while the other side tells me that it is impossible and really unlikely. I considered trying to get my antique jack plane tuned up, but I don't think I quite have the skill set for restoring the plane at this time, let alone, getting it in good enough shape to accomplish my task. The Makita 2012 NB table top planer seems like a good option, and Del at ACME has said they could order me one. But I am not quite ready to pull that trigger.
> 
> 
> 
> So I play a bit and think a bit. Then I go downstairs and glue up another set of boards. With each set, I get closer to needing to make a decision. I also find that with each set I am getting better at my set up and execution of the glue up. I lay the boards out parallel to one another, apply glue to the first board, use my plastic spreading card to get an even coat of glue, and then stack the next board on to the one with the glue. I have also started to put little spacers into the cauls, to hold them open. This has made getting the boards into the cauls considerably easier. After trying a couple of different strategies for getting the wax paper in place, I now wrap a layer around the ends of the glued up set of boards, before I slide it into the caul. This is easier than trying to put the paper in afterwards. Once the boards are into the cauls, I tighten them a little bit, but not too snug. I clamp the ends next, which I made sure stuck out past the cauls by about 3 inches. Lastly I slide my Jet clamps under the boards, rotate them up, and tighten. I finish by tightening the cauls.
> 
> !
> 
> I will not describe the methodology I used initially because it involved a lot more chaos and swearing. I glued up my boards in seven mini sections, and now am gluing the seven mini sections into three. The middle section is kept separate from the others, as it needs to be cut in half, thus creating the opening for the router plate. I have left an excess of about 1 ¾ inches on the middle section, and about 1 inch on the end sections. This will allow me to finish up the sizing by trimming off both ends. Since I knew that this step was part of my plans, I avoided stressing out about having the ends perfectly lined up. I got them as close as I could, and that was good enough.
> 
> 
> 
> The joy of this project grows with each step. Actually doing a glue up is sort of exciting. I am sure that future glue ups will require much greater attention to squeeze out, but that is ok. I will cross that sticky bridge when I get to it.


Keep up the good work! You are making excellent progress! I'm looking forward to seeing how this story unfolds.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *A Measure of Time*
> 
> 
> 
> The outpouring of ideas from everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have been struggling with how I should get the router table to be flat, or at the very least to f sharp. So I sat at the piano and tickled the ivories.
> 
> Many of you might be astonished to find that I play the piano; well you need not be, as I really don't. When I turned 38, and realized it had been 20 years since I had graduated high school, it seemed that it was just about time to get my midlife crisis underway. I bought a really nice Yamaha electric piano with weighted keys. It was either that or take up smoking. I took four lessons from an angry Russian woman who complained, "De problem with teaching the children in dis country, is dat the parents, they don't let you hit their children. It is disgusting, how are they supposed to learn." And then she said, after a heavy sigh, "stupid Americans."
> 
> I didn't progress much with her, but I still like to sit at my piano and goof around. It is a good place to think. I thought about trying to sand a perfectly flat surface, and one side of my brain tells me that it is possible, but unlikely, while the other side tells me that it is impossible and really unlikely. I considered trying to get my antique jack plane tuned up, but I don't think I quite have the skill set for restoring the plane at this time, let alone, getting it in good enough shape to accomplish my task. The Makita 2012 NB table top planer seems like a good option, and Del at ACME has said they could order me one. But I am not quite ready to pull that trigger.
> 
> 
> 
> So I play a bit and think a bit. Then I go downstairs and glue up another set of boards. With each set, I get closer to needing to make a decision. I also find that with each set I am getting better at my set up and execution of the glue up. I lay the boards out parallel to one another, apply glue to the first board, use my plastic spreading card to get an even coat of glue, and then stack the next board on to the one with the glue. I have also started to put little spacers into the cauls, to hold them open. This has made getting the boards into the cauls considerably easier. After trying a couple of different strategies for getting the wax paper in place, I now wrap a layer around the ends of the glued up set of boards, before I slide it into the caul. This is easier than trying to put the paper in afterwards. Once the boards are into the cauls, I tighten them a little bit, but not too snug. I clamp the ends next, which I made sure stuck out past the cauls by about 3 inches. Lastly I slide my Jet clamps under the boards, rotate them up, and tighten. I finish by tightening the cauls.
> 
> !
> 
> I will not describe the methodology I used initially because it involved a lot more chaos and swearing. I glued up my boards in seven mini sections, and now am gluing the seven mini sections into three. The middle section is kept separate from the others, as it needs to be cut in half, thus creating the opening for the router plate. I have left an excess of about 1 ¾ inches on the middle section, and about 1 inch on the end sections. This will allow me to finish up the sizing by trimming off both ends. Since I knew that this step was part of my plans, I avoided stressing out about having the ends perfectly lined up. I got them as close as I could, and that was good enough.
> 
> 
> 
> The joy of this project grows with each step. Actually doing a glue up is sort of exciting. I am sure that future glue ups will require much greater attention to squeeze out, but that is ok. I will cross that sticky bridge when I get to it.


Hi Brian,
Here are a couple of things you might find helpfull. I lined the contact sides of my cauls with clear packing tape and I don't have any sticking. I disassemble my cauls and place my boards on the bottom two so I can practice the glue up then I slather the glue, rub the two pieces together, slather, repeat. Then I put the top half of the cauls on, tighten slightly, clamp hard, tighten harder, clamp harder, repeat until my thumbs hurt. I also noticed you have your clamps pretty close to the glue surface of the boards. I read in a FWW article that the presure from a clamp can be found only under a cone 45 degrees to the left and right of the center of the pressure. That means you need more clamps if there is not enough distance from the glue surface. If you place a couple of boards without glue between the glued boards and the clamps, moving the clamps back from the glue surface, you get better coverage from your clamps and a more even result.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Measure of Time*
> 
> 
> 
> The outpouring of ideas from everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have been struggling with how I should get the router table to be flat, or at the very least to f sharp. So I sat at the piano and tickled the ivories.
> 
> Many of you might be astonished to find that I play the piano; well you need not be, as I really don't. When I turned 38, and realized it had been 20 years since I had graduated high school, it seemed that it was just about time to get my midlife crisis underway. I bought a really nice Yamaha electric piano with weighted keys. It was either that or take up smoking. I took four lessons from an angry Russian woman who complained, "De problem with teaching the children in dis country, is dat the parents, they don't let you hit their children. It is disgusting, how are they supposed to learn." And then she said, after a heavy sigh, "stupid Americans."
> 
> I didn't progress much with her, but I still like to sit at my piano and goof around. It is a good place to think. I thought about trying to sand a perfectly flat surface, and one side of my brain tells me that it is possible, but unlikely, while the other side tells me that it is impossible and really unlikely. I considered trying to get my antique jack plane tuned up, but I don't think I quite have the skill set for restoring the plane at this time, let alone, getting it in good enough shape to accomplish my task. The Makita 2012 NB table top planer seems like a good option, and Del at ACME has said they could order me one. But I am not quite ready to pull that trigger.
> 
> 
> 
> So I play a bit and think a bit. Then I go downstairs and glue up another set of boards. With each set, I get closer to needing to make a decision. I also find that with each set I am getting better at my set up and execution of the glue up. I lay the boards out parallel to one another, apply glue to the first board, use my plastic spreading card to get an even coat of glue, and then stack the next board on to the one with the glue. I have also started to put little spacers into the cauls, to hold them open. This has made getting the boards into the cauls considerably easier. After trying a couple of different strategies for getting the wax paper in place, I now wrap a layer around the ends of the glued up set of boards, before I slide it into the caul. This is easier than trying to put the paper in afterwards. Once the boards are into the cauls, I tighten them a little bit, but not too snug. I clamp the ends next, which I made sure stuck out past the cauls by about 3 inches. Lastly I slide my Jet clamps under the boards, rotate them up, and tighten. I finish by tightening the cauls.
> 
> !
> 
> I will not describe the methodology I used initially because it involved a lot more chaos and swearing. I glued up my boards in seven mini sections, and now am gluing the seven mini sections into three. The middle section is kept separate from the others, as it needs to be cut in half, thus creating the opening for the router plate. I have left an excess of about 1 ¾ inches on the middle section, and about 1 inch on the end sections. This will allow me to finish up the sizing by trimming off both ends. Since I knew that this step was part of my plans, I avoided stressing out about having the ends perfectly lined up. I got them as close as I could, and that was good enough.
> 
> 
> 
> The joy of this project grows with each step. Actually doing a glue up is sort of exciting. I am sure that future glue ups will require much greater attention to squeeze out, but that is ok. I will cross that sticky bridge when I get to it.


Outputter,

I love the bit about 45 degrees. I will remember that. Thanks.

Brian


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *A Measure of Time*
> 
> 
> 
> The outpouring of ideas from everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have been struggling with how I should get the router table to be flat, or at the very least to f sharp. So I sat at the piano and tickled the ivories.
> 
> Many of you might be astonished to find that I play the piano; well you need not be, as I really don't. When I turned 38, and realized it had been 20 years since I had graduated high school, it seemed that it was just about time to get my midlife crisis underway. I bought a really nice Yamaha electric piano with weighted keys. It was either that or take up smoking. I took four lessons from an angry Russian woman who complained, "De problem with teaching the children in dis country, is dat the parents, they don't let you hit their children. It is disgusting, how are they supposed to learn." And then she said, after a heavy sigh, "stupid Americans."
> 
> I didn't progress much with her, but I still like to sit at my piano and goof around. It is a good place to think. I thought about trying to sand a perfectly flat surface, and one side of my brain tells me that it is possible, but unlikely, while the other side tells me that it is impossible and really unlikely. I considered trying to get my antique jack plane tuned up, but I don't think I quite have the skill set for restoring the plane at this time, let alone, getting it in good enough shape to accomplish my task. The Makita 2012 NB table top planer seems like a good option, and Del at ACME has said they could order me one. But I am not quite ready to pull that trigger.
> 
> 
> 
> So I play a bit and think a bit. Then I go downstairs and glue up another set of boards. With each set, I get closer to needing to make a decision. I also find that with each set I am getting better at my set up and execution of the glue up. I lay the boards out parallel to one another, apply glue to the first board, use my plastic spreading card to get an even coat of glue, and then stack the next board on to the one with the glue. I have also started to put little spacers into the cauls, to hold them open. This has made getting the boards into the cauls considerably easier. After trying a couple of different strategies for getting the wax paper in place, I now wrap a layer around the ends of the glued up set of boards, before I slide it into the caul. This is easier than trying to put the paper in afterwards. Once the boards are into the cauls, I tighten them a little bit, but not too snug. I clamp the ends next, which I made sure stuck out past the cauls by about 3 inches. Lastly I slide my Jet clamps under the boards, rotate them up, and tighten. I finish by tightening the cauls.
> 
> !
> 
> I will not describe the methodology I used initially because it involved a lot more chaos and swearing. I glued up my boards in seven mini sections, and now am gluing the seven mini sections into three. The middle section is kept separate from the others, as it needs to be cut in half, thus creating the opening for the router plate. I have left an excess of about 1 ¾ inches on the middle section, and about 1 inch on the end sections. This will allow me to finish up the sizing by trimming off both ends. Since I knew that this step was part of my plans, I avoided stressing out about having the ends perfectly lined up. I got them as close as I could, and that was good enough.
> 
> 
> 
> The joy of this project grows with each step. Actually doing a glue up is sort of exciting. I am sure that future glue ups will require much greater attention to squeeze out, but that is ok. I will cross that sticky bridge when I get to it.


Nice improvements. We can all see your skills are getting good. Isn't woodworking a lot like music? chromatic scales skipped in major thirds ascending and minor thirds descending for 30 min…same therapeutic result as gluing up a set of boards.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A Measure of Time*
> 
> 
> 
> The outpouring of ideas from everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have been struggling with how I should get the router table to be flat, or at the very least to f sharp. So I sat at the piano and tickled the ivories.
> 
> Many of you might be astonished to find that I play the piano; well you need not be, as I really don't. When I turned 38, and realized it had been 20 years since I had graduated high school, it seemed that it was just about time to get my midlife crisis underway. I bought a really nice Yamaha electric piano with weighted keys. It was either that or take up smoking. I took four lessons from an angry Russian woman who complained, "De problem with teaching the children in dis country, is dat the parents, they don't let you hit their children. It is disgusting, how are they supposed to learn." And then she said, after a heavy sigh, "stupid Americans."
> 
> I didn't progress much with her, but I still like to sit at my piano and goof around. It is a good place to think. I thought about trying to sand a perfectly flat surface, and one side of my brain tells me that it is possible, but unlikely, while the other side tells me that it is impossible and really unlikely. I considered trying to get my antique jack plane tuned up, but I don't think I quite have the skill set for restoring the plane at this time, let alone, getting it in good enough shape to accomplish my task. The Makita 2012 NB table top planer seems like a good option, and Del at ACME has said they could order me one. But I am not quite ready to pull that trigger.
> 
> 
> 
> So I play a bit and think a bit. Then I go downstairs and glue up another set of boards. With each set, I get closer to needing to make a decision. I also find that with each set I am getting better at my set up and execution of the glue up. I lay the boards out parallel to one another, apply glue to the first board, use my plastic spreading card to get an even coat of glue, and then stack the next board on to the one with the glue. I have also started to put little spacers into the cauls, to hold them open. This has made getting the boards into the cauls considerably easier. After trying a couple of different strategies for getting the wax paper in place, I now wrap a layer around the ends of the glued up set of boards, before I slide it into the caul. This is easier than trying to put the paper in afterwards. Once the boards are into the cauls, I tighten them a little bit, but not too snug. I clamp the ends next, which I made sure stuck out past the cauls by about 3 inches. Lastly I slide my Jet clamps under the boards, rotate them up, and tighten. I finish by tightening the cauls.
> 
> !
> 
> I will not describe the methodology I used initially because it involved a lot more chaos and swearing. I glued up my boards in seven mini sections, and now am gluing the seven mini sections into three. The middle section is kept separate from the others, as it needs to be cut in half, thus creating the opening for the router plate. I have left an excess of about 1 ¾ inches on the middle section, and about 1 inch on the end sections. This will allow me to finish up the sizing by trimming off both ends. Since I knew that this step was part of my plans, I avoided stressing out about having the ends perfectly lined up. I got them as close as I could, and that was good enough.
> 
> 
> 
> The joy of this project grows with each step. Actually doing a glue up is sort of exciting. I am sure that future glue ups will require much greater attention to squeeze out, but that is ok. I will cross that sticky bridge when I get to it.


hello there Brian
if you ain´t ready for taking up handplaining
then you cuold try with two straight boards 
one on each side and level it out so you can
use a router with a straight bit to rout the
table flat 
that wood bee cheapper than buying
a big tabletop planer

Dennis


----------



## douginaz

Ecocandle said:


> *A Measure of Time*
> 
> 
> 
> The outpouring of ideas from everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have been struggling with how I should get the router table to be flat, or at the very least to f sharp. So I sat at the piano and tickled the ivories.
> 
> Many of you might be astonished to find that I play the piano; well you need not be, as I really don't. When I turned 38, and realized it had been 20 years since I had graduated high school, it seemed that it was just about time to get my midlife crisis underway. I bought a really nice Yamaha electric piano with weighted keys. It was either that or take up smoking. I took four lessons from an angry Russian woman who complained, "De problem with teaching the children in dis country, is dat the parents, they don't let you hit their children. It is disgusting, how are they supposed to learn." And then she said, after a heavy sigh, "stupid Americans."
> 
> I didn't progress much with her, but I still like to sit at my piano and goof around. It is a good place to think. I thought about trying to sand a perfectly flat surface, and one side of my brain tells me that it is possible, but unlikely, while the other side tells me that it is impossible and really unlikely. I considered trying to get my antique jack plane tuned up, but I don't think I quite have the skill set for restoring the plane at this time, let alone, getting it in good enough shape to accomplish my task. The Makita 2012 NB table top planer seems like a good option, and Del at ACME has said they could order me one. But I am not quite ready to pull that trigger.
> 
> 
> 
> So I play a bit and think a bit. Then I go downstairs and glue up another set of boards. With each set, I get closer to needing to make a decision. I also find that with each set I am getting better at my set up and execution of the glue up. I lay the boards out parallel to one another, apply glue to the first board, use my plastic spreading card to get an even coat of glue, and then stack the next board on to the one with the glue. I have also started to put little spacers into the cauls, to hold them open. This has made getting the boards into the cauls considerably easier. After trying a couple of different strategies for getting the wax paper in place, I now wrap a layer around the ends of the glued up set of boards, before I slide it into the caul. This is easier than trying to put the paper in afterwards. Once the boards are into the cauls, I tighten them a little bit, but not too snug. I clamp the ends next, which I made sure stuck out past the cauls by about 3 inches. Lastly I slide my Jet clamps under the boards, rotate them up, and tighten. I finish by tightening the cauls.
> 
> !
> 
> I will not describe the methodology I used initially because it involved a lot more chaos and swearing. I glued up my boards in seven mini sections, and now am gluing the seven mini sections into three. The middle section is kept separate from the others, as it needs to be cut in half, thus creating the opening for the router plate. I have left an excess of about 1 ¾ inches on the middle section, and about 1 inch on the end sections. This will allow me to finish up the sizing by trimming off both ends. Since I knew that this step was part of my plans, I avoided stressing out about having the ends perfectly lined up. I got them as close as I could, and that was good enough.
> 
> 
> 
> The joy of this project grows with each step. Actually doing a glue up is sort of exciting. I am sure that future glue ups will require much greater attention to squeeze out, but that is ok. I will cross that sticky bridge when I get to it.


Hi Brian, this blog keeps getting better and better. Nice read. Have you considered taking your glue up to a cabinet shop when complete and have them run your top through a big sander? I have found people in cabinet shops are usually pretty friendly and helpful as long as you are not competing with them. 
Just a thought and for the record, I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. 
Later, 
Doug in AZ.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *A Measure of Time*
> 
> 
> 
> The outpouring of ideas from everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have been struggling with how I should get the router table to be flat, or at the very least to f sharp. So I sat at the piano and tickled the ivories.
> 
> Many of you might be astonished to find that I play the piano; well you need not be, as I really don't. When I turned 38, and realized it had been 20 years since I had graduated high school, it seemed that it was just about time to get my midlife crisis underway. I bought a really nice Yamaha electric piano with weighted keys. It was either that or take up smoking. I took four lessons from an angry Russian woman who complained, "De problem with teaching the children in dis country, is dat the parents, they don't let you hit their children. It is disgusting, how are they supposed to learn." And then she said, after a heavy sigh, "stupid Americans."
> 
> I didn't progress much with her, but I still like to sit at my piano and goof around. It is a good place to think. I thought about trying to sand a perfectly flat surface, and one side of my brain tells me that it is possible, but unlikely, while the other side tells me that it is impossible and really unlikely. I considered trying to get my antique jack plane tuned up, but I don't think I quite have the skill set for restoring the plane at this time, let alone, getting it in good enough shape to accomplish my task. The Makita 2012 NB table top planer seems like a good option, and Del at ACME has said they could order me one. But I am not quite ready to pull that trigger.
> 
> 
> 
> So I play a bit and think a bit. Then I go downstairs and glue up another set of boards. With each set, I get closer to needing to make a decision. I also find that with each set I am getting better at my set up and execution of the glue up. I lay the boards out parallel to one another, apply glue to the first board, use my plastic spreading card to get an even coat of glue, and then stack the next board on to the one with the glue. I have also started to put little spacers into the cauls, to hold them open. This has made getting the boards into the cauls considerably easier. After trying a couple of different strategies for getting the wax paper in place, I now wrap a layer around the ends of the glued up set of boards, before I slide it into the caul. This is easier than trying to put the paper in afterwards. Once the boards are into the cauls, I tighten them a little bit, but not too snug. I clamp the ends next, which I made sure stuck out past the cauls by about 3 inches. Lastly I slide my Jet clamps under the boards, rotate them up, and tighten. I finish by tightening the cauls.
> 
> !
> 
> I will not describe the methodology I used initially because it involved a lot more chaos and swearing. I glued up my boards in seven mini sections, and now am gluing the seven mini sections into three. The middle section is kept separate from the others, as it needs to be cut in half, thus creating the opening for the router plate. I have left an excess of about 1 ¾ inches on the middle section, and about 1 inch on the end sections. This will allow me to finish up the sizing by trimming off both ends. Since I knew that this step was part of my plans, I avoided stressing out about having the ends perfectly lined up. I got them as close as I could, and that was good enough.
> 
> 
> 
> The joy of this project grows with each step. Actually doing a glue up is sort of exciting. I am sure that future glue ups will require much greater attention to squeeze out, but that is ok. I will cross that sticky bridge when I get to it.


I think this tabletop project is a great way for you to hone your skills Brian. I am not questioning your sanity here, but I am curious about why you chose a laminated solid wood table top in the first place. Most go with ply or mdf, or counter top stuff which are already flat to begin with. Are you doing it because it is hard to do, or does your plan call for that? Maybe it has something to do with anchoring the piano hinge securely?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Measure of Time*
> 
> 
> 
> The outpouring of ideas from everyone has been incredibly helpful. I have been struggling with how I should get the router table to be flat, or at the very least to f sharp. So I sat at the piano and tickled the ivories.
> 
> Many of you might be astonished to find that I play the piano; well you need not be, as I really don't. When I turned 38, and realized it had been 20 years since I had graduated high school, it seemed that it was just about time to get my midlife crisis underway. I bought a really nice Yamaha electric piano with weighted keys. It was either that or take up smoking. I took four lessons from an angry Russian woman who complained, "De problem with teaching the children in dis country, is dat the parents, they don't let you hit their children. It is disgusting, how are they supposed to learn." And then she said, after a heavy sigh, "stupid Americans."
> 
> I didn't progress much with her, but I still like to sit at my piano and goof around. It is a good place to think. I thought about trying to sand a perfectly flat surface, and one side of my brain tells me that it is possible, but unlikely, while the other side tells me that it is impossible and really unlikely. I considered trying to get my antique jack plane tuned up, but I don't think I quite have the skill set for restoring the plane at this time, let alone, getting it in good enough shape to accomplish my task. The Makita 2012 NB table top planer seems like a good option, and Del at ACME has said they could order me one. But I am not quite ready to pull that trigger.
> 
> 
> 
> So I play a bit and think a bit. Then I go downstairs and glue up another set of boards. With each set, I get closer to needing to make a decision. I also find that with each set I am getting better at my set up and execution of the glue up. I lay the boards out parallel to one another, apply glue to the first board, use my plastic spreading card to get an even coat of glue, and then stack the next board on to the one with the glue. I have also started to put little spacers into the cauls, to hold them open. This has made getting the boards into the cauls considerably easier. After trying a couple of different strategies for getting the wax paper in place, I now wrap a layer around the ends of the glued up set of boards, before I slide it into the caul. This is easier than trying to put the paper in afterwards. Once the boards are into the cauls, I tighten them a little bit, but not too snug. I clamp the ends next, which I made sure stuck out past the cauls by about 3 inches. Lastly I slide my Jet clamps under the boards, rotate them up, and tighten. I finish by tightening the cauls.
> 
> !
> 
> I will not describe the methodology I used initially because it involved a lot more chaos and swearing. I glued up my boards in seven mini sections, and now am gluing the seven mini sections into three. The middle section is kept separate from the others, as it needs to be cut in half, thus creating the opening for the router plate. I have left an excess of about 1 ¾ inches on the middle section, and about 1 inch on the end sections. This will allow me to finish up the sizing by trimming off both ends. Since I knew that this step was part of my plans, I avoided stressing out about having the ends perfectly lined up. I got them as close as I could, and that was good enough.
> 
> 
> 
> The joy of this project grows with each step. Actually doing a glue up is sort of exciting. I am sure that future glue ups will require much greater attention to squeeze out, but that is ok. I will cross that sticky bridge when I get to it.


Stefang,

I actually had intended to use ODF, which is what I used for my workbench top. I choose to go this route, because it would give me a better learning experience. So I guess you are right, it is because it is harder to do than the other. I want to try to increase my skill set with each project.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Flatening with A Router*



The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.

A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.

Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.

So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.

Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.

It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.

When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.

This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.



I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Enjoy


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


What is the old expression? Life isn't about the destination it is about the journey?

It is said that out of all the emissaries that Kubla Khan sent out to the world, he favored Marco Polo the best because he was the only one that knew how to use his eyes.

I think the Khan would have liked you Brian 

David


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Time for a nap.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


I love a nap. Meow.


----------



## dlmckirdy

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Brian,

I have not tried it, but some time ago, I read here that if you use a 3/4" to 1-1/4" dish cutter bit, you won't get the ridges from the sharp edges of the flat bottom bits.

See: http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_sign.html


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


I don't have one of those bits, but I have been wanting to get one. Great idea!!! 2 points!!!


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Yea. You did it. I think this is a very cool process. What is neat about it is that it works for flattening tops that are too large for a planer. Also it does not care about grain orientation, as a planer does.

You have just experienced a human powered CNC machine.

Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Steve,

It was a great suggestion. I am glad you mentioned the idea, or I wouldn't have thought about it. It takes a bit of practice, but I do think I am getting the hang of it.

Brian


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Brian, I have a jointer and a planer, but I am still going to make a planing jig for my router. It can handle wide boards as previously mentioned and also end grain like for cutting boards. Other things you can do with a properly made jig outfitted with a leveling system is to take the warp out of boards. You might in some cases be able to plane faster because you can take much deeper cuts with a router than with planer. 1/4" for example compared to 1/16" for a planer. It is also great to do very thin stock like down to 1/32" if the workpiece is mounted on an mdf platter for instance.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Stefang,

I am convinced that there is value in having a jig designed specifically for planing. The jig I am using, is very close, but it needs some tweaking, to make it perfect. I hadn't thought about the advantage of taking deeper cuts. Great point. I hope you will share your design, when you have completed your jig. 

Brian


----------



## jmwhosh

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Wanna share the jig design or point us to it?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


The one I am current using is here…but be warned, I didn't really write a design post, it is actually several posts, which talk about the jig, in the context of the Henry Wood Detective Agency story.

http://extremelyaverageone.blogspot.com/2010/01/henry-wood-detective-agency.html

If you follow the story for a couple of episodes, you will see the jig I am using now.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Here is a link to a picture of the most simple of leveling jigs. I am only posting the link, so I don't muck up your pretty pictures. It is not me in the picture, but someone that I don't even know. He bolted two pieces of square channel to the bottom of his router, and then slides these over two reference boards.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc158/spalm_pics/Router-Planer.jpg

Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Flatening with A Router*
> 
> 
> 
> The whole point of devoting my early woodworking days to building stuff for woodworking is to learn. Today, while reading the latest issue of shop notes, I learned that the router table top, which I am building, is a laminated top. I guess I had always thought that laminated only applied to thin strips glued together. I don't know why I assumed there was some sort of arbitrary thickness requirement. Now I know.
> The seven sets of laminated sections have become three. The middle section, which will become the portion which holds the router table plate, is twenty two inches in length. I decided that it would be prudent to test my flattening strategy on the shortest section, thus requiring less expenditure to replace, should things go horribly wrong.
> 
> A while back I created a dado jig, which allows me to cut a dado using my router. Steve (and others) suggested that, since I don't have a planer or a hand plane to do the job that I should use my router to shave off a uniform layer, and thus leave a flat surface. Of course, I would need to do some sanding afterwards, but it seemed like a good idea, and definitely worth a try.
> 
> Because I get a thrill, every time I put to use, something which I have created, I used the legs for the router table, and clamped everything to them. I recently learned that it is best to insert the router bit all the way into the router and then lift it a small amount, before tightening it all the way down. My bit got stuck and Del at ACME tools in Cedar Rapids got my bit unstuck and fixed the collet. He didn't even charge me. Del Rocks! Each time I go to ACME, he teaches me something new.
> 
> So I carefully put my 3/8th inch up spiral Freud bit into my router and began routing. Each pass was flat and true initially. The jig allows me to make one pass to the right, then rotate the router, and make a pass back, thus removing 3/4th of an inch in total. The cuts on the backward pass seemed to be slightly deeper than they had been. I thought the bit might have slipped, but that was illogical. If it slipped, then both the cuts would be lower, not just the back pass. I looked at my setup more closely, like some sort of film noir detective.
> 
> Upon closer examination, I realized the problem. The first pass was just in slightly from the edge of the boards, leaving a small swath that was the same thickness as the uncut portion. So with each pass the cut section grew and when the jig was no longer resting on the small raised section, the back pass guide was slipping down slightly. The minutia of the problem is not terribly interesting, but I felt good about catching it and solving the problem with a shim.
> 
> It took a long time, but I successfully cut away a layer of unevenness and left in its wake a flat surface. So could I sand it, in such a way, as to maintain the flatness? I have a 3 inch belt sander, some 50, 80 and 120 grit belts. I reasoned that with even pressure and uniformly timed passes, the sander should remove wood at a constant rate. I was completely focused. I made sure I had a nice wide stance and applied very little downward force on the sander, letting it run across the wood. I tried to avoid much overlap, as that might cause a problem. A couple of passes with the belt sander and I went to a finer grain. I checked the flatness after the 80 grit and it was very close. So I put on the 120 grit and made one pass and then rechecked the flatness. I was especially careful, as I felt that I was on the verge of success and I didn't mind moving slowly, if it yielded the results I wanted.
> 
> When it was done, and I ran my hand across the flat smooth surface, I was ready to celebrate. But I decided I wanted to check one more time, with a different straight edge, just to verify. Sure enough it is flat! Now it is true, that I spent 3 hours doing what anyone with a planer would have done in 10 seconds, but that is ok. It was fun.
> 
> This is the flattened portion at the bottom of the photo and the unflattened section at the top.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a lot left to do. I need to flatten the other two sections. Then, I think I would like to flatten the bottom too, just so it looks nice, when I lift up the top. That is all for today. Now I think I need a larger bit, to make the task somewhat easier.


Steve,

That is a really nice design, simple and effective. Thanks for sharing it with everyone.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Uncle Merle's Table*



Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.

The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.



My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.

Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.

The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.

So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.

(Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.

The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.

[Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Critical symptom is the almost overwhelming urge to quit a comfortable six figure a year job to live as a pauper and spend your days making big pieces of wood into progressively smaller pieces, much of which ends up fueling the wood stove.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


For not having much to say, you did pretty well. Looks like the table top is progressing nicely. This thread may correlate to WOED…


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Kacy,

Really great symptom. I loved 'making big pieces of wood into progressively smaller pieces'. That was brilliant!

Sras,

The link didn't work. :-(

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Maybe the following is a symptom of WOED: I walked into Walgreens (drugstore) just the other day and was struck by how unnatural was everything in sight. I'm sure Walgreen's is not isolated in this..maybe it just felt like an appropriate place to endure the pains of WOED…

I think another symptom of WOED may be the way I look at a salespersona when they tell me a particular piece of furniture is "all wood". I just nod as I look underneath and examine the particle board.

Bill


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


OK try it now … (dopey me


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Bill,

Those are definitely symptoms. Thanks.

Sras,

It works now. I read the first page. Very funny. I better check out some of the others (700 Plus) Good stuff.

Brian


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Owning more wood than you can work in one lifetime is definitely not a symptom of any disorder. It's called being prepared.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Outputter,

I couldn't agree more, but of course, I am already full of WOED, so what do I know?

Brian


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Two symptoms that I have noted is the tendency to pull poor, unfortunate sales clerks over in the furniture aisles of discount stores and explain to them why their furniture will break within a short amount of time. On a good note, nobody asks me anymore if they can help me 

And I have noticed, lately, after talking to the mailman about my flower boxes, he no longer strolls to my mailbox, but makes a mad dash and throws my mail on the porch. I guess isolation sometimes is a bad thing…

David


----------



## THEGREATPUMPKIN

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Brian I was wondering if you would ever get to a point where you had a block. You're amazing. JIM


----------



## asyler

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


I knew I had something,, I'm glad to now to know what it is.. 
wayne


----------



## Trikzter

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Sitting in church yesterday for a funeral, I studied the pews and thought I would have made them better and I have no experience or expertise in such things. In my fantasy world I am good at woodworking, but it is just a fantasy.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


I am way too embarrassed to mention to normal people where my mind is traveling. I do enjoy it, although. I never get bored. Come to think of it, the phrase 'getting board' does raise some interesting thoughts.

Steve


----------



## webwood

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


i hate to tell you brian - these are early stages , only to get worse - next thing you know you have spent you're life savings and sold everything you own to buy tools and wood - worse than heroin!!


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Trikzter and I are in the same boat. I'm delusional about how great a woodworker I can become when I plan out my next project. Thankfully, I often actually attempt the project and it brings me right back down to earth.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Brian, this will not be and uncommon malady in a group of this type. Taking mankind as a data base it will probably be classed some where between rare and uncommon. I suggest that we first must convince WHO. (world health organisation) The AMA will then fall in line but we'll have to get some people to publish some confusing scientific papers at some national or international forums. The next step will in fact be the hardest which will be to convince The various govt.s that this is a disabling disease that prevents patients from being able to maintain normal employment and should qualify for Social Security disability. This will allow us to stay home and practice woodworking and will also make eligible for Medicare. (this is the only way you can get Medicare without turning 65) Of course for all of us that already get Social Security it won't mean doo-doo. Meanwhile best advice is DON'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


HokieMojo,

You are right, delusions of grandeur are definitely shattered, once the project begins. But it is those crazy ideas in our head, those visions of what might be, that make this so addictive and enjoyable.

rtb,

I think you plan sounds solid!

Brian


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Your discovery of unfinished surface underneath is very normal for professional woodworkers of old and I expect a lot hobby woodworkers as well. The attitude was "what they can't see doesn't doesn't require a finish. In the old days when everything was done laboriously by hand, it would not have made sense waste time and money finishing those areas. Even the planing was only done to the bare minimum. The quality of the work spoke for itself and didn't require a beautiful bottom. Of course that only applies to woodwork.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Uncle Merle's Table*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's blog is more of an update. I am sort of in a zone with flattening my router table top, and don't have much new to add. I did buy a 1" Freud bit, which has helped considerably. I am also getting better at making consistent passes over the wood, which has cut down on the slight variation from one pass to the next.
> 
> The most obvious part of this that has jumped out is that I have only done one side of the table top, and I just can't bear to not do the other side as well. So there is quite a bit more work to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> My great uncle Merle liked woodworking. I was pretty young, the last time I saw him, and I don't think I ever knew about his woodworking. I only found out, because I became interested in learning and my father mentioned it. A couple of weekends ago I was admiring a little round table with a lamp on it. It turns out that it was made by Merle Meeks. I know this, because he had written Merle Meeks and the year, 1977, on the bottom of it with some sort of burning iron thingy. I am sure they have a name, but alas, I don't know what they are called. It is a lovely little table, made from what I believe is walnut. The leg is turned and I am told that he was a big fan of working on his lathe. It has a nice finish on it and is a lovely piece of furniture. He did not, however, take the time to sand the underside of the feet of the table.
> 
> Now, I am sure my parents have had this table for some time, and like most people, spend very little time examining the underside of the feet. Of course, they haven't contracted woodworkers obsessive examiners disorder, or WOED. The first sign is when one notices the molding on a nice cabinet. Before contracting this disorder, which I am hoping will be covered under Obama care; I wouldn't have paid attention to such things. Now I open drawers, check for dovetails, salivate at the sight of lumber trucks, and generally think about woodworking all the time. I am hoping that once congress passes health care reform, I will be able to buy all the tools I need, for medicinal purposes, and only have a small co-pay. That would be lovely and I am sure it would improve my quality of life and make living with this terrible affliction, more bearable.
> 
> The second sign of being WOED is when one starts to obsess about the areas that are not going to be seen by anyone, like the underside of the feet on my Uncle's table. For me though, it is too late. I saw the saw marks on the bottom of those feet and thought, "I would have sanded that." In truth, the feet were eerily similar to the feet on my saw horses, of which, I did sand the undersides.
> 
> So that is where I am right now. The top side is nearly done and I am ready to move on to the other steps, but because of WOED, I just can't. So I think I will get back to work, flattening the part of the table that nobody will see, unless they are in the room when I am changing the router bit. This is unlikely, since I live in a town of 280, rarely get visitors, and if I did, wouldn't make them watch me change a router bit.
> I like to push the writing envelope whenever I can, so I would like to conclude today's blog with the original intro I had written. Has that ever been done? Finishing with the beginning? I don't know. Surely I am on the cutting edge of blog writing technology? I digress.
> 
> (Original Intro) I am suffering from a mild case of 'writer's block of cheese'. This is commonly defined as "A cheesy writer who has, more than usual, nothing to say, though that rarely stops him or her." I could mention that today is the two month anniversary of my blogging journey, but that isn't terribly interesting. I could talk about the flattening of my laminated router table top, but that is probably getting a bit tired. I was even thinking I could do an episode of Henry Wood, but alas, I just don't feel it.
> 
> The end…or the beginning…I am not at all sure.
> 
> [Editor's Note: If anyone has any other symptoms of WOED, please leave them in the comments, as this will help us to get attention we deserve from the AMA.]


Stefang,

You are quite right, there isn't any reason to finish the surface that can't be seen. That is why WOED is such a terrible affliction. I obviously need deep pyschological help. 

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Eyeballing Challenge*



In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.

He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.

But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.

I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.

It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.

So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?

I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?

Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


First try was 6.81, second was 5.6. I'm not sure how much weighting is on speed vs accuarcy. Very fun. I agree, this should make you a better woodworker.

One of the challenges we used to do in high school drafting class was to make two dots exactly one inch apart. I used to be pretty good (usually under .02") - not that good any more…


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


I don't think the speed factors in. I believe one can go as slow as they want. The speed seems to be for bragging purposes, and as a measure in internartional head to head competition.


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


4.8

dhb


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


Nice job Don. I have found that I struggle most with the Parallelagrams.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


6 tries and I got down to 2.62 - fun game. Parallelograms and angle bisection are tricky for me.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


2.62! Wow, I have done way more than 6 tries. You are the reigning champ. Sras rocks!


----------



## JJohnston

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


3.44. Equidistant is hardest for me. Angle bisection is easy if you cheat - cover up the ends of the lines, which are a distraction. Main problem for me is getting impatient about halfway through. This is, probably not coincidentally, reflected in the fact that I have several unfinished projects going at any one time.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


That is an astute observation JJohnston.  3.44 is outstanding.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


2.44 - how do I stop? I have other things to do!


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


I see you found that great game in M Wandell's site. I admire that guy. He is a genius, he is really smart. His woodworking skills are great but he always seems to make his pieces out of the cheapest stuf he can find and out of really simple designs. His jigs though, are pretty amazing. He should build more artistic pieces. I think he owes it to himself.

Anyway I meant to let you know about the festool Rotex 150 + the dust collection CT33. Used it today and the combination works like a charm. I finished a table in 30 minutes with amazing results and no dust. This system would be great for folks with underground shops. I will never go back to the noisy old porter cable belt sander. It gave me great dusty memories but that is all it will be form now on, a dusty memory. Or I could enter it in a belt sander race, but I will never use it again in the shop.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


Chelios,

Thanks for the update on the Rotex 150. I am glad that you had the same experience I did with it. It is quite a sander. I haven't looked around M Wandell's site much, I have been too addicted to the game. And what was your best score?

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


6.34

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


Thanks for posting the score. There have been lots of people who have clicked through the bit.ly link. Sixty three in fact. But only a few brave people have posted their scores. Good for you!


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


hej brian 
take a tjeck on mr woodgears site where you found the game
I know you are making a routertable and he has a very clever cheap
solution for raising and lowing the router in the table from top of 
the table and you will bee amazed how he has done some other
jiigs too and how he is thinking I go and tjeck his site every monday
just to see what he has done he is exstrem sometimes

Dennis


----------



## david9951

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


4.51


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


I played with this a few months ago. The best scores are still there. Mine is 3.52 and my wife's is 3.32. I tried many more times than she did. She is talented at things like drawing and painting - interesting.

Oh, one of the cats has a score of 0.07, but I suspect some sort of subterfuge.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


Ok, ChuckV gets 2 points for his score, his wife get 3, and the cats get 100, until the subtrefuge is proven.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


3 tries down to 6.


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Eyeballing Challenge*
> 
> 
> 
> In a hidden monastery, far from the prying eyes of a suspicious public, a great and strange sharpening monk spent his days. He sharpened chisels, he crafted brilliant pieces of furniture, and he doled out nuggets of wisdom whenever someone was unfortunate enough to be within ear shot. There are a few, myself among them, who believe that he was not crazy, but wise beyond most people's grasp.
> 
> He used to say, "Hone your senses as you would hone your chisel." He would often follow this up with, "Hone your tools as you would Honus Wagner." It is these sort of statements, that left all but the most ardent woodworkers or Pirates fans, checking their watches and stammering something about the time, being late, and needing to be off.
> 
> But if you watch him work, if you paid close attention to how he used touch to gauge the flatness of a board, or sight to start his dovetails or even his hearing, to tell him when his saw wasn't exactly cutting the way he wanted, you knew that he might be onto something. This monk, this wise and charming man, would mark his boards, check his measurements, and then look at them one more time. On occasion, he would cock his head to one side, then measure again, and find that he had made an error. Sometimes just the slightest error, but he would always catch it, before he cut.
> 
> I asked him once, how he did this, how he always seemed to sense that something was awry. He said, "I have trained my eyes to smell a bad fish." To which I replied, "Wow, look at the time, I think I am supposed to be…" and backed out of the room. I liked him, but on occasion, he was too cryptic for me.
> I was thinking about this wise old sharpening monk today, when I discovered a wonderful online game. A game that I believe will sharpen my sense of space and proportion. I believe it will improve my eyes ability to 'smell a bad fish'. I think he might have meant 'to see something fishy', but I didn't think of that at the time. Of course, he may have just wanted to be left alone, and drove me away. He was very wise and crafty, but I digress.
> 
> It is called the eyeballing game. http://bit.ly/dhPhwI I think that it will appeal to woodworkers. I feel that if I am better able to see a 90 degree angle, or visualize where 3 points would meet in space, then I will also be able to 'smell a bad fish'. This will make me a better woodworker, or at least that is my theory.
> 
> So my question of the day is this. What is your score on the eyeballing game?
> 
> I would love to know what people think about my theory. Does it have merit? Do you think that if one improved this skill, they would make fewer errors?
> 
> Wait a minute that is three questions. Oh well, that happens sometimes. Enjoy and please leave your score. My best is 2.91, though I just tried again, and I got 3.2. It is very fun, and very addictive.


3.86 my best-


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Glockenspiel*



The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.

Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.

Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!

The Tiny Glockenspiel

Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.

He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.

From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.

He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.

The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.

So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.

One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.

I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


----------



## Tangle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


I'm not so sure it stinks. I think you needed a few more words to fill in the gap between bringing the boy home and the round belly. LOL Actually quite good.


----------



## webwood

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


looking back now i can see what matters
life for me was torn and tattered
all of my guitars were beaten and battered
until i found the one that mattered
sitting on a dream 
as the steam it gathered
hanging from the rope
as my hopes are shattered
living in a dream
as if it mattered
now iv'e found hope beyound reason
glockenspeil
its wood is all seasoned
holy vows are kept without breathing


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


Thos. Angle,

I think you are right, it does need a bit more in there, but alas I ran up against the 300 limit.

Webwood,

Your repsonse is much better than my post. Well done.

Brian


----------



## webwood

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


you remind me of my grandfather - writing till he died - editor and publisher - i was a newspaper man for 35 years or so - tried to become a song writer and failed - tough business


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


Hi Brian, two things.
13.82 - speaks for itself.
I don't normally approve of editing someone else's hard earned words but to play along with Thos., you could add the words - Months later, - to the beginning of the paragraph beginning "The lid of the box opened…" and get a nice even 300 unless the comma counts as a word. I apoligize for even suggesting it.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


Everyone should explore their creative side as you've done here Brian. It makes life more fun and interesting. Thanks for sharing it with us.


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


Indeed, glockenspiel can be an amusing word. Didn't Wilma Flintstone use it when she got a job singing jingles?

You also could have gone really dark on this… The glockenspiel could have swelled with pride and exploded into a million pieces.

No matter what, don't abandon. You have the gift of the gab. Did you ever kiss the Blarney Stone?


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


I think it would have been better if the instrument was MADE of purpleheart. Other than that, I think you are being too tough on yourself. It was a fun little read.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


great little story
with the limits
in mind well done
writer of the words

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Glockenspiel*
> 
> 
> 
> The first side is sanded and now I am starting to route flat the other side. I believe this second side will go even better, as I am clamping down onto a flat side. I have just started and the cuts seem to be more uniform. This seems like progress to me.
> 
> Earlier today, I got a message on Linkedin from a friend. She had found a writing contest, which required that one submit a story, under 300 words, using purple, tree, and glockenspiel. I felt that the gauntlet had been tossed at my feet, and I was ready for the challenge. A little while ago, when I took a break from my woodworking, I sat down and wrote my story. The story did not need to be about a glockenspiel, but I decided that I would make that my main character. I submitted it, comfortable in the knowledge that it is complete rubbish, but that I had finished the challenge. I can't wait to read my friends version, as she is a good writer.
> 
> Sadly, I may have sapped all of my daily allotment of creative juices for the day. So I don't seem to have anything funny or entertaining to say, regarding woodworking. That is too bad, but such is life. So here is the story about the tiny glockenspiel. It is really quite dreadful, but it is 298 words!
> 
> The Tiny Glockenspiel
> 
> Resting on a table made from the Peltogyne tree, more commonly called, Purple Heart, was the tiny glockenspiel. It has been there long enough that one could measure the time with a simple wipe of a finger across the dusty bars. A fine instrument, one that brought melodies to the ear and smiles to the faces of many football fans waiting for the second half. Those were the little glockenspiels happiest days.
> 
> He didn't get to attend college with his player. High school days, and marching under the Friday night lights, had been replaced by lectures and beers with friends. The little glockenspiel didn't figure into those plans, and so, he sat, on the tiny table, with a song, unsung, in his tiny heart.
> 
> From the table into a box he went, and the time passed. His little steel bars yearned to ring out, especially middle c. The tiny glockenspiel became resigned to his dark lonely world. He could hear things going on outside, he knew that there were people moving about, he heard them talking. He heard the voice of his player now and again.
> 
> He heard his player talking with her parents; she had brought a boy home to meet them. She showed the boy her room. He teased her about her posters and the band uniform hanging in her closet.
> 
> The lid of the box opened, the player took out the tiny glockenspiel, and rested it on her round belly. She hammered a few bars and sang, "Hush little baby…", then whispered, "This will be yours one day", while she rubbed her belly. The notes were clear; the glockenspiel was, for the first time in years, happy. She polished it, treasured it, and never put it in a box or out of her mind again.
> 
> So that was what I wrote. I realize it was abysmal and that you will never get that ninety seconds of your life back, but in my defense, I did tell you it was going to stink, so if you are reading this sentence, you have no one to blame but yourself.
> 
> One of the reasons it is just awful, is that I don't believe glockenspiels come in different sizes. Maybe they do, but I just can't imagine it. In retrospect, I think I should have tried to be funny, as I am sure I would have done a better job. Oh well, sometimes one, with delusions of wordsmith, pounds out a real disaster. It is a shame though, because glockenspiel is a funny word. I truly feel like I have squandered an opportunity.
> 
> I think I will go downstairs and get back to woodworking.


Outputter,

That was an excellent editorial suggestion. It is too late to change my entry, but I really think you are right.

HokieMojo,

I didn't even think of making the instrument of purpleheart, THAT would have been much better.

mtkate,

I i have not kissed the Blarney Stone, but my friend Bryce Miller, who gave me the idea for 'ExtremelyAverage', has. He sent me a picture. It is on my life's to do list.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Abby Someone*



"Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.

"Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.

If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.

I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"

Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.

I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.

She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.

It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.

The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.

"I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]

I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.

I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.

I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.

In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.

A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.

I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.

I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."

She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness. 
Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.



I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.



I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.

Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


You are correct. A simple yes or no would not have bin adequate.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Brian,

In our culture, "normal" is not such a good thing. The popular culture makes "normal" look bad : ) I guess it's much harder to market to individuals! I'm glad you have set higher standards!

BTW, I got a digital piano with weighted keys about the same time you did (wish it was acoustic)-and an open back banjo and a fiddle since! I got interested in making instruments and I made it to hear-I mean here!

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Bill729,

I would love to make a fiddle some day.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Brian wrote: I would love to make a fiddle some day.

I might like to as well, and I have already read a couple of books on it. As far as an instrument to start with, I can't think of a worse choice! : )

I think: mountain dulcimer → banjo → fiddle (somethink like that!).

In the meantime, I'm learning a lot more about woodworking!

Bill


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Perhaps the only thing Abby shares with the rest of the population is a desire to not be normal.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


If we were all normal we would still be living in caves and the definition of woodworking would be beating on each other with tree limbs.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Great post Brian. Of course telling 17,000 woodworkers that spending a Friday night working with wood is a little odd will probably generate thoughts like "You mean there are some people that don't spend a Friday night working with wood? Weirdos!"

David


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


I just recieved a photo taken when I was about six.
There I was, at the end of the Great Depression, wearing oversized pants held up with little suspenders, funny plastic glasses on my nose, squinting one eye.
Holy Cats!!!!
I was a geek from the very beginning!
Normal? I don't think anyone has ever considered me normal.
Define normal?
In the nearby small city of Erie, PA, it is normal for violence to occur on a daily basis. 
Shootings in the street so often people are getting used to it.
Prostitution, drug dealings and even - gasp - people driving while texting!

No, I'm not normal and have never claimed to be. Don't want to be. Not in the present conditions.

d


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


seems to me you are definitely odd ,

you want to* do* something ,

normal , is* talking *about doing something .


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Brian you are far to delightful to be normal. I think that any of us that have the ability to think will shun that accusation . Cats, who and how many ? Picture ? We currently have 24 due to a situation far to gruesome to post at this site.


----------



## webwood

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


great blog brian - i look for it every day - btw that cow carving is great , almost looks real lol


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Well Webwood, or Brian, since you brought it up, what kind of cow is it? Is that a picture of a dirty cream-colored cow or are those its natural colors? Normal people probably wouldn't ask these things, but I've always thought cows were cool! : )

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Bill729,

The breed is called Charlet. They are white, except when they are dirty. When Charlet's have calves they are very white, and incredibly cute. Maybe the cutest of all the cows.

Brian


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Being in the first or second standard deviation is preferable. Talk about an oxymoron, eh? "standard deviation".

If anyone accuses you of being out of the ordinary, tell them to take a sedagive


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Abby Someone*
> 
> 
> 
> "Whose brain did you bring me?" asked young Frankenstein.
> 
> "Abby someone…Abby Normal I believe" responded Igor.
> 
> If you are a movie buff, or Royce Alger, then it will be obvious that this is from the classic Mel Brooks film, "Young Frankenstein" It sprang to mind when I was asked if I was normal.
> 
> I had been carrying on a conversation with a woman on Linkedin. I sent her an invitation to connect, and she responded, "Going to hope you're not oddball-seems normal. Usually add people I know well to connect - but been more open, these days. Want to be in a 'good crowd' - perceptions = reality"
> 
> Naturally I assumed she meant Donald Sutherland's character in the 1970's classic 'Kelly's Heroes', Sgt. Oddball. Or perhaps she actually meant Donald Sutherland, either way; it was probably a good idea to make sure I wasn't Mr. Sutherland.
> 
> I responded, "Define normal.", after I determined that she was using the adjective oddball, and applying it to me. Actually, she was saying I seemed normal. This concerned me, because it was apparent, in our brief conversation, that I may have misrepresented myself.
> 
> She responded, "Not sure I can. but funny come-back. Guess I'll just have to follow you to see."
> I liked her wait and see attitude. She was leaving the door open to bailing, but doing it in such a way that was not at all offensive to me. I thought she was being quite prudent. But I did feel a bit guilty, knowing as I did, the ultimate conclusion she would reach. So I felt obligated to respond.
> 
> It was a great question, one that I think everyone should ask of themselves.
> 
> The more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I am not normal at all. I am the son of a mathematician, and when I think of normal, I think of a normal distribution curve.
> 
> "I have worked very hard to avoid being part of the normal distribution in all that I do. I found a fun game yesterday, and have been playing it, trying to move further away from 'normal'. [Editors note: The Eyeballing Game]
> 
> I love to read. Surely that isn't normal in this day and age. I am fascinated by words and language and like to play scrabble. Most of my friends find the game boring, so they would say that isn't normal.
> 
> I worked as a volunteer docent at the Corcoran gallery in DC, for a year, before I moved back to Iowa. Most people wouldn't want to spend hours in a museum, most normal people that is.
> 
> I have a PC and an iphone, and like both Apple and Microsoft, surely that is odd. Many people get as worked up about Apple vs. Microsoft, as they do about politics. I don't. That isn't normal at all.
> 
> In my blog, I wrote an introduction in iambic pentameter, just to see if I could. Most normal people have never heard of this style, and I am sure, don't feel that they are missing anything.
> People who are passionate about politics consider their positions normal, though half the country disagrees with them.
> 
> A normal person would prefer to go to a movie, in a group, watch endless car chases and gun play. I would rather go to a foreign film, alone, and then meet up with my 'car chase, no dialogue' loving friends afterwards.
> 
> I bought an electric piano, with weighted keys, when I was 38, just because I have always wanted to learn the piano. I still stink, but I love to play around with it. Who does that? Certainly not a normal person.
> 
> I just can't think of a single thing in my life that is 'normal'. I am happy though. I really enjoy life. Which, I would assume, is also, not normal."
> 
> She liked my response, and thought it should be part of a blog post. I just checked and we are still connected. I will send to her the link to tonight's blog post, and she can read some of the other silliness.
> Perhaps then she will be able to finally conclude, that on a scale of normal to oddball, I am tilting towards odd.
> 
> 
> 
> I thought about this a lot tonight, as I ran my router over the laminate top. Each pass is so close to perfect, so much better than the other side, that I am almost amazed. The sanding is going to take far less time. I will then use the same methodology on the middle section. Once that is done, I will be able to move onto cutting the middle section in half, routing the edges to take the router plate, and then glue the 3 table pieces together.
> 
> 
> 
> I am confident that I can get through all of those steps this weekend. It feels like I am well over half way done with my router table, though I could be wrong. It is possible I will decide to add some upgrades to it, thus moving the finishing line further and further away. It is ok though, as it all makes me better at this wonderful hobby.
> 
> Well now I am going to go back into my basement, on a Friday night, and spend hours and hours playing with chunks of wood. That seems a little odd to me, but perhaps I am not the person to ask. [Editor's note: Normally we don't include cow shots.]


Man, almost missed this one, and it was one of your best (from a socio-pyschoanalytic perspective). Who says tweets don't serve a purpose?


----------



## Ecocandle

*Progressing Slowly*



The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.

I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.

The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.

Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.

Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.

(1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.

(6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.

(6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.

(1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.

(4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.

(4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.

(4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.

Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.

Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.

The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.

The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


The monk would probably take it to his cubicle, meditate for several hours, pray for guidance, rest and then let it be while his mind comes to understand this strange thing and what is expected of him in relation to it.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


thats a good way to become ' one ' with it ,

creep up on it quietly !


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


You are correct to read the instructions now. The more normal MO is "when all else failes, read the instructions".


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


Are you at all concerned that the glue joint failed so easily?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


Perhaps, but the joint that failed, looked a bit suspect anyway.

If the table top doesn't work, I will just have to do something else.


----------



## webwood

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


the china wall is still standing!


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


I don't know if this is what you mean by "Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them". Do you mean Threaded Inserts? I used them as part of the crib I built. They are a challenge to put in straight. I'm just telling you in case these are what you are talking about and you want to practice with a few before working on your actual project.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


Yes! That is exactly what they are. Threaded inserts! Ok, I am slightly smarter. Thanks. They are part of an optional leveling system. I will make a decision on those after I see how I do with the plate. I will definitely do some practice runs.


----------



## webwood

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


i have leveing screws on my incra plate - best thing since sliced bread - oh and the china wall comment i meant in a good way


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


LOL…I took the China wall in the sense that it was intended.  I may hold off adding the leveling screws until I get a jig or drill press. Regardless, I am still going to do some practice runs with them, and who knows, maybe I will get good enough to add them right away. I defnintely want them included eventually.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


you can buy them at ace .
or rockler .
put them where ever you like ,
they come in many styles .


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Progressing Slowly*
> 
> 
> 
> The flattening of the router table top took slightly less time than it did for China to put up a wall to keep out the neighbors' goats. I estimate that I spent around seven or eight hours flattening my laminated table top. I would imagine that, if I had run the boards through a planer, and then did some sanding; it would have taken less than 30 minutes. That is ok though, as I enjoyed myself and it is done now.
> 
> I really like the breadboard look. My friend Ryan made a really cool coffee table with a breadboard top and welded iron rods together, to create the legs. It is a brilliant use of materials which, when combined, created a stunning look. One day I may try my hand at welding and make my own version of his coffee table.
> 
> The next step in my router table is to figure out a good plan for routing out the edges, so that the base plate will fit in nicely. I have just cut the middle section in half. I decided to take a break after the cut and the stress testing. Stress testing you say? Why yes I did. I decided that to be thorough, I should let one of the halves drop to the floor while I focused on the circular saw. I like to be very careful with my power tools. The stress test indicated that one of the glue joints should probably be redone.
> 
> Ok, that isn't actually how it went down. But as it has been suggested, one of the keys to mastering woodworking is to be creative in how one looks upon unforeseen issues. I cut the pieces in half, one half was clamped to my workbench, the other half was in my right hand and I reached down to drop it, so I could bring my right hand up to my saw. When I did this, the one piece became two. So I called it a stress test and felt much better. Those two pieces have been glued back together and the glue is setting up at this very moment. There haven't been too many mistakes thus far, so I didn't feel to terrible, and I would rather have it happen now, than later on.
> 
> Right now, while I wait for the glue to dry, I am going to open up my Rousseau router base plate. There are lots of parts, which seem to be crying out to be lost. So I have a small bucket next to me, and I will carefully count them and toss them in the bucket. That way, I will know which ones I have lost, when I drop the bucket and the tiny parts shoot out in all directions. Now that I look at the packaging, it appears designed to explode the tiny bits everywhere, upon opening. It is obvious that I should open this in a space that will make it easier to track down the stuff, but alas, I am not going to follow gut on this one, and open it while I sit at my computer chair. Here it goes.
> 
> (1) Silver thingy that seems to be used by sticking it into the router plate for free hand routing of curved surfaces.
> 
> (6) Little brass things that one puts into wood, so that one can then screw tiny screws into them. I am guessing they have a name. Hopefully someone will be able to tell me what they are actually called.
> 
> (6) Plastic screws that fit into the brass things. I matched each one up with one of the brass things, so that I will lose them in pairs. That thought comforts me.
> 
> (1) Router base plate and instructions. I am very pleased to see the directions. I feared they would assume I knew what I was doing.
> 
> (4) Black plastic things with oval openings. Perhaps the directions will call these parts by their names? That would be lovely.
> 
> (4) Steel screws. Ok I don't really know what they are made of, but it is definitely metal and not plastic.
> 
> (4) Nuts with little spiky things on them. It is painfully apparent that my woodworking vocabulary is woefully inadequate. I paired the screws and nuts too.
> 
> Ok, now I am going to read the instructions.
> 
> Ok, page one has the word WARNING with exclamation points in triangles, all over it. I haven't read the warnings yet, but I am sure their inclusion, is a good indication, that it is likely thousands of people have been maimed or killed during the installation. Ok, the warnings were for general router use. Always wear eye protection, which I do, and don't wear loose clothing, which I don't. The word death did appear twice though.
> 
> The black plastic things are Corner Snuggers, which is a trademarked term, so don't go throwing it around all willie nillie.
> 
> The directions have instilled a sense of dread. My confidence is hovering around 12 %. Of course, I was equally terrified when I started to flatten the table top, and that turned out ok. I think I will stare at my shinny Rousseau plate for a bit, and perhaps become one with it. I am sure that is what a sharpening monk would do.


Just another normal day learning something new, getting more experience and looking forward with dread to tasks never undertaken before. Welcome to woodworking Brian. It is conquering the challenges that makes us proud!


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Inscription*



The first 5 key letters are across from and inside the Sheraton, the next move is yours.

Henry closed the book and thought about the inscription. It was apparent that his next task was going to be finding the key to decode the journal. Leaning back on his chair he flipped through the pages one more time, hoping there might be a bit more. Mouse like steps crept down the stairs.

"Henry, am I bothering you?" said Luna, in a barely audible voice.

"Not at all, come on down." Henry said with a smile. He knew that Luna was getting a case of cabin fever. 
That combined with her constant worrying about her father were tarnishing her usually shiny personality.

"Is that a clue?" she said, as she sat on the stool on the other side of Henry's workbench.

"Yes, I believe it is. I found it this morning at the home of one of your father's clients."

"May I see it?" she asked with a pleading look.

"Sure." And Henry handed it to her. Perhaps if she felt like she was helping, it might make her feel a tiny bit better. Henry thought to himself, "It might be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of."

"How can something be across from and inside of, at the same time?" Luna asked.

"That is a good question; I was wondering the same thing." Henry said.

"Perhaps the 5 letters are not in one place, but some are at the Sheraton and some are across the street from the Sheraton?" She theorized and did seem to brighten up a bit.

"It is a good place to start. I should probably head back into the city and check it out.

"Let's go!" Luna jumped off the seat, excited about some adventure.

"I am not sure it is safe, you should…" Henry started to say, when Luna spun around and gave him a look that combined pleading and insisting in a way, which he was sure most men were powerless against. He knew that he was certainly unable to say 'no' to her.

"Ok, let's go. But we are just going to look around. If things get hinky we are packing it in, ok?!" Henry said in his best, 'I'm in charge' voice. It was only moderately convincing.

On the drive in, Henry and Luna theorized about where one might find letters, and where they should look first. It was agreed that the clues must be in plain sight. Henry also suggested that they should look in the furniture, as that was where he found the journal.

The lobby was filled with well dressed people milling about. Henry and Luna felt a bit out of place, the Sheraton catered to the Affluent of the city, and Henry was thinking that it would be hard to look around much. They tried to be casual; Luna took a seat and snuck a peak into the table, while Henry did a lap around the lobby, expecting something to jump out at him. Everything was very leap free.
Luna got up and whispered, "I didn't find anything, did you?"

Henry nodded his head 'no' and gave a nod towards the door. They walked out and looked across the street. There was a restaurant, 'Fianchetto's', next to it was a bank, and on the other side was a flower shop. Since the bank and the flower shop were closed, Luna and Henry walked into the restaurant.

"A table for two Sir?" said a tall man in a dark suit, without looking up from his little reservation book.

Luna started to say "No, we were…"

"Yes, a table for two would fine." Henry said, and added, "Don't put us by the kitchen." And he handed the man a fifty. It was a nice restaurant and they hadn't eaten yet. The man snapped his fingers at a smartly dressed woman with a couple of menus and she took them to a nice table near the fish tank.

All around there were nice old paintings, scenes from Italy, and photos of famous chess players. Henry let Luna order and then he asked for a steak and a salad. After the waitress left Henry said, "This doesn't look promising at all."

"No, I don't see anything that could be part of the key." Luna said looking around, then added, "Thanks for dinner, it is nice to get out of the house. I have been feeling a bit cooped up."

"You are welcome." Henry said smiling. He grabbed a bread stick and started to nibble on it. He didn't dine out much, and felt sure that this was a good time for chit and or chat. He was drawing a complete blank.

Sensing that they were on the cusp of a tsunami of an uncomfortable silence, Luna said, "Do you suppose we are just missing it?"

Henry was glad that they were back on the subject of clue hunting, "We must be, let me see, what could be across from and inside the Sheraton?"

His attention was drawn to the theme of the restaurant. Fianchetto means to place one's bishop on the long diagonal. What about the people in the pictures? Henry recognized Staunton, Mason, and even The Turk, but he couldn't see how any of the pictures helped him with the letters for the key. Maybe it is their initials?
Henry and Luna talked, he shared his idea about the initials, and while they ate, they tried to piece them together in such a way as to make sense. The steak was good and Luna seemed to enjoy her manicotti.

"I just don't think that the initials are the answer. All the other clues have been done in such a way, as to be obvious to me." Henry said, looking at the bill, and shaking his head.

As they walked through the restaurant, sure that the clue wasn't to be found, Henry spotted a chess table. He stopped, and grabbed Luna by the arm. He nodded towards the table. "That is it."

"The chess table? How do you know?" Luna said.

"That is not just any chess table. In the late 1700's there was a great shift in American furniture design. The designs of George Hepplewhite, from London, were very popular, as was the designs of a famous artisan named George Sheraton."

Her eyes lit up. An adorable little smile ran across her face and she said, "Let's go look."

Henry handed the coat check girl their ticket and as she went to get their coats he quickly opened the drawer. A small manila envelope, was resting under the black queen. Henry took it and slipped it into his pocket, just as the girl returned with their coats.

Luna linked her arm with Henry's as they walked out of the restaurant and into the cool night. Neither of them said a word as they walked back to the car. The little adventure had done wonders for Luna. Henry was feeling pretty good too.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Inscription*
> 
> 
> 
> The first 5 key letters are across from and inside the Sheraton, the next move is yours.
> 
> Henry closed the book and thought about the inscription. It was apparent that his next task was going to be finding the key to decode the journal. Leaning back on his chair he flipped through the pages one more time, hoping there might be a bit more. Mouse like steps crept down the stairs.
> 
> "Henry, am I bothering you?" said Luna, in a barely audible voice.
> 
> "Not at all, come on down." Henry said with a smile. He knew that Luna was getting a case of cabin fever.
> That combined with her constant worrying about her father were tarnishing her usually shiny personality.
> 
> "Is that a clue?" she said, as she sat on the stool on the other side of Henry's workbench.
> 
> "Yes, I believe it is. I found it this morning at the home of one of your father's clients."
> 
> "May I see it?" she asked with a pleading look.
> 
> "Sure." And Henry handed it to her. Perhaps if she felt like she was helping, it might make her feel a tiny bit better. Henry thought to himself, "It might be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of."
> 
> "How can something be across from and inside of, at the same time?" Luna asked.
> 
> "That is a good question; I was wondering the same thing." Henry said.
> 
> "Perhaps the 5 letters are not in one place, but some are at the Sheraton and some are across the street from the Sheraton?" She theorized and did seem to brighten up a bit.
> 
> "It is a good place to start. I should probably head back into the city and check it out.
> 
> "Let's go!" Luna jumped off the seat, excited about some adventure.
> 
> "I am not sure it is safe, you should…" Henry started to say, when Luna spun around and gave him a look that combined pleading and insisting in a way, which he was sure most men were powerless against. He knew that he was certainly unable to say 'no' to her.
> 
> "Ok, let's go. But we are just going to look around. If things get hinky we are packing it in, ok?!" Henry said in his best, 'I'm in charge' voice. It was only moderately convincing.
> 
> On the drive in, Henry and Luna theorized about where one might find letters, and where they should look first. It was agreed that the clues must be in plain sight. Henry also suggested that they should look in the furniture, as that was where he found the journal.
> 
> The lobby was filled with well dressed people milling about. Henry and Luna felt a bit out of place, the Sheraton catered to the Affluent of the city, and Henry was thinking that it would be hard to look around much. They tried to be casual; Luna took a seat and snuck a peak into the table, while Henry did a lap around the lobby, expecting something to jump out at him. Everything was very leap free.
> Luna got up and whispered, "I didn't find anything, did you?"
> 
> Henry nodded his head 'no' and gave a nod towards the door. They walked out and looked across the street. There was a restaurant, 'Fianchetto's', next to it was a bank, and on the other side was a flower shop. Since the bank and the flower shop were closed, Luna and Henry walked into the restaurant.
> 
> "A table for two Sir?" said a tall man in a dark suit, without looking up from his little reservation book.
> 
> Luna started to say "No, we were…"
> 
> "Yes, a table for two would fine." Henry said, and added, "Don't put us by the kitchen." And he handed the man a fifty. It was a nice restaurant and they hadn't eaten yet. The man snapped his fingers at a smartly dressed woman with a couple of menus and she took them to a nice table near the fish tank.
> 
> All around there were nice old paintings, scenes from Italy, and photos of famous chess players. Henry let Luna order and then he asked for a steak and a salad. After the waitress left Henry said, "This doesn't look promising at all."
> 
> "No, I don't see anything that could be part of the key." Luna said looking around, then added, "Thanks for dinner, it is nice to get out of the house. I have been feeling a bit cooped up."
> 
> "You are welcome." Henry said smiling. He grabbed a bread stick and started to nibble on it. He didn't dine out much, and felt sure that this was a good time for chit and or chat. He was drawing a complete blank.
> 
> Sensing that they were on the cusp of a tsunami of an uncomfortable silence, Luna said, "Do you suppose we are just missing it?"
> 
> Henry was glad that they were back on the subject of clue hunting, "We must be, let me see, what could be across from and inside the Sheraton?"
> 
> His attention was drawn to the theme of the restaurant. Fianchetto means to place one's bishop on the long diagonal. What about the people in the pictures? Henry recognized Staunton, Mason, and even The Turk, but he couldn't see how any of the pictures helped him with the letters for the key. Maybe it is their initials?
> Henry and Luna talked, he shared his idea about the initials, and while they ate, they tried to piece them together in such a way as to make sense. The steak was good and Luna seemed to enjoy her manicotti.
> 
> "I just don't think that the initials are the answer. All the other clues have been done in such a way, as to be obvious to me." Henry said, looking at the bill, and shaking his head.
> 
> As they walked through the restaurant, sure that the clue wasn't to be found, Henry spotted a chess table. He stopped, and grabbed Luna by the arm. He nodded towards the table. "That is it."
> 
> "The chess table? How do you know?" Luna said.
> 
> "That is not just any chess table. In the late 1700's there was a great shift in American furniture design. The designs of George Hepplewhite, from London, were very popular, as was the designs of a famous artisan named George Sheraton."
> 
> Her eyes lit up. An adorable little smile ran across her face and she said, "Let's go look."
> 
> Henry handed the coat check girl their ticket and as she went to get their coats he quickly opened the drawer. A small manila envelope, was resting under the black queen. Henry took it and slipped it into his pocket, just as the girl returned with their coats.
> 
> Luna linked her arm with Henry's as they walked out of the restaurant and into the cool night. Neither of them said a word as they walked back to the car. The little adventure had done wonders for Luna. Henry was feeling pretty good too.


Very nice, especially the Sheraton double entendre and the fianchetto reference. Oddly enough, my son in essence ultimately defeated me the other day by using this move to delay my occupation of the center in a modified Ruiz Lopez opening. I just hate it when a 12 year old can do that to you!


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Inscription*
> 
> 
> 
> The first 5 key letters are across from and inside the Sheraton, the next move is yours.
> 
> Henry closed the book and thought about the inscription. It was apparent that his next task was going to be finding the key to decode the journal. Leaning back on his chair he flipped through the pages one more time, hoping there might be a bit more. Mouse like steps crept down the stairs.
> 
> "Henry, am I bothering you?" said Luna, in a barely audible voice.
> 
> "Not at all, come on down." Henry said with a smile. He knew that Luna was getting a case of cabin fever.
> That combined with her constant worrying about her father were tarnishing her usually shiny personality.
> 
> "Is that a clue?" she said, as she sat on the stool on the other side of Henry's workbench.
> 
> "Yes, I believe it is. I found it this morning at the home of one of your father's clients."
> 
> "May I see it?" she asked with a pleading look.
> 
> "Sure." And Henry handed it to her. Perhaps if she felt like she was helping, it might make her feel a tiny bit better. Henry thought to himself, "It might be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of."
> 
> "How can something be across from and inside of, at the same time?" Luna asked.
> 
> "That is a good question; I was wondering the same thing." Henry said.
> 
> "Perhaps the 5 letters are not in one place, but some are at the Sheraton and some are across the street from the Sheraton?" She theorized and did seem to brighten up a bit.
> 
> "It is a good place to start. I should probably head back into the city and check it out.
> 
> "Let's go!" Luna jumped off the seat, excited about some adventure.
> 
> "I am not sure it is safe, you should…" Henry started to say, when Luna spun around and gave him a look that combined pleading and insisting in a way, which he was sure most men were powerless against. He knew that he was certainly unable to say 'no' to her.
> 
> "Ok, let's go. But we are just going to look around. If things get hinky we are packing it in, ok?!" Henry said in his best, 'I'm in charge' voice. It was only moderately convincing.
> 
> On the drive in, Henry and Luna theorized about where one might find letters, and where they should look first. It was agreed that the clues must be in plain sight. Henry also suggested that they should look in the furniture, as that was where he found the journal.
> 
> The lobby was filled with well dressed people milling about. Henry and Luna felt a bit out of place, the Sheraton catered to the Affluent of the city, and Henry was thinking that it would be hard to look around much. They tried to be casual; Luna took a seat and snuck a peak into the table, while Henry did a lap around the lobby, expecting something to jump out at him. Everything was very leap free.
> Luna got up and whispered, "I didn't find anything, did you?"
> 
> Henry nodded his head 'no' and gave a nod towards the door. They walked out and looked across the street. There was a restaurant, 'Fianchetto's', next to it was a bank, and on the other side was a flower shop. Since the bank and the flower shop were closed, Luna and Henry walked into the restaurant.
> 
> "A table for two Sir?" said a tall man in a dark suit, without looking up from his little reservation book.
> 
> Luna started to say "No, we were…"
> 
> "Yes, a table for two would fine." Henry said, and added, "Don't put us by the kitchen." And he handed the man a fifty. It was a nice restaurant and they hadn't eaten yet. The man snapped his fingers at a smartly dressed woman with a couple of menus and she took them to a nice table near the fish tank.
> 
> All around there were nice old paintings, scenes from Italy, and photos of famous chess players. Henry let Luna order and then he asked for a steak and a salad. After the waitress left Henry said, "This doesn't look promising at all."
> 
> "No, I don't see anything that could be part of the key." Luna said looking around, then added, "Thanks for dinner, it is nice to get out of the house. I have been feeling a bit cooped up."
> 
> "You are welcome." Henry said smiling. He grabbed a bread stick and started to nibble on it. He didn't dine out much, and felt sure that this was a good time for chit and or chat. He was drawing a complete blank.
> 
> Sensing that they were on the cusp of a tsunami of an uncomfortable silence, Luna said, "Do you suppose we are just missing it?"
> 
> Henry was glad that they were back on the subject of clue hunting, "We must be, let me see, what could be across from and inside the Sheraton?"
> 
> His attention was drawn to the theme of the restaurant. Fianchetto means to place one's bishop on the long diagonal. What about the people in the pictures? Henry recognized Staunton, Mason, and even The Turk, but he couldn't see how any of the pictures helped him with the letters for the key. Maybe it is their initials?
> Henry and Luna talked, he shared his idea about the initials, and while they ate, they tried to piece them together in such a way as to make sense. The steak was good and Luna seemed to enjoy her manicotti.
> 
> "I just don't think that the initials are the answer. All the other clues have been done in such a way, as to be obvious to me." Henry said, looking at the bill, and shaking his head.
> 
> As they walked through the restaurant, sure that the clue wasn't to be found, Henry spotted a chess table. He stopped, and grabbed Luna by the arm. He nodded towards the table. "That is it."
> 
> "The chess table? How do you know?" Luna said.
> 
> "That is not just any chess table. In the late 1700's there was a great shift in American furniture design. The designs of George Hepplewhite, from London, were very popular, as was the designs of a famous artisan named George Sheraton."
> 
> Her eyes lit up. An adorable little smile ran across her face and she said, "Let's go look."
> 
> Henry handed the coat check girl their ticket and as she went to get their coats he quickly opened the drawer.  A small manila envelope, was resting under the black queen. Henry took it and slipped it into his pocket, just as the girl returned with their coats.
> 
> Luna linked her arm with Henry's as they walked out of the restaurant and into the cool night. Neither of them said a word as they walked back to the car. The little adventure had done wonders for Luna. Henry was feeling pretty good too.


Glad to see Henry back. I like hinky too.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Inscription*
> 
> 
> 
> The first 5 key letters are across from and inside the Sheraton, the next move is yours.
> 
> Henry closed the book and thought about the inscription. It was apparent that his next task was going to be finding the key to decode the journal. Leaning back on his chair he flipped through the pages one more time, hoping there might be a bit more. Mouse like steps crept down the stairs.
> 
> "Henry, am I bothering you?" said Luna, in a barely audible voice.
> 
> "Not at all, come on down." Henry said with a smile. He knew that Luna was getting a case of cabin fever.
> That combined with her constant worrying about her father were tarnishing her usually shiny personality.
> 
> "Is that a clue?" she said, as she sat on the stool on the other side of Henry's workbench.
> 
> "Yes, I believe it is. I found it this morning at the home of one of your father's clients."
> 
> "May I see it?" she asked with a pleading look.
> 
> "Sure." And Henry handed it to her. Perhaps if she felt like she was helping, it might make her feel a tiny bit better. Henry thought to himself, "It might be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of."
> 
> "How can something be across from and inside of, at the same time?" Luna asked.
> 
> "That is a good question; I was wondering the same thing." Henry said.
> 
> "Perhaps the 5 letters are not in one place, but some are at the Sheraton and some are across the street from the Sheraton?" She theorized and did seem to brighten up a bit.
> 
> "It is a good place to start. I should probably head back into the city and check it out.
> 
> "Let's go!" Luna jumped off the seat, excited about some adventure.
> 
> "I am not sure it is safe, you should…" Henry started to say, when Luna spun around and gave him a look that combined pleading and insisting in a way, which he was sure most men were powerless against. He knew that he was certainly unable to say 'no' to her.
> 
> "Ok, let's go. But we are just going to look around. If things get hinky we are packing it in, ok?!" Henry said in his best, 'I'm in charge' voice. It was only moderately convincing.
> 
> On the drive in, Henry and Luna theorized about where one might find letters, and where they should look first. It was agreed that the clues must be in plain sight. Henry also suggested that they should look in the furniture, as that was where he found the journal.
> 
> The lobby was filled with well dressed people milling about. Henry and Luna felt a bit out of place, the Sheraton catered to the Affluent of the city, and Henry was thinking that it would be hard to look around much. They tried to be casual; Luna took a seat and snuck a peak into the table, while Henry did a lap around the lobby, expecting something to jump out at him. Everything was very leap free.
> Luna got up and whispered, "I didn't find anything, did you?"
> 
> Henry nodded his head 'no' and gave a nod towards the door. They walked out and looked across the street. There was a restaurant, 'Fianchetto's', next to it was a bank, and on the other side was a flower shop. Since the bank and the flower shop were closed, Luna and Henry walked into the restaurant.
> 
> "A table for two Sir?" said a tall man in a dark suit, without looking up from his little reservation book.
> 
> Luna started to say "No, we were…"
> 
> "Yes, a table for two would fine." Henry said, and added, "Don't put us by the kitchen." And he handed the man a fifty. It was a nice restaurant and they hadn't eaten yet. The man snapped his fingers at a smartly dressed woman with a couple of menus and she took them to a nice table near the fish tank.
> 
> All around there were nice old paintings, scenes from Italy, and photos of famous chess players. Henry let Luna order and then he asked for a steak and a salad. After the waitress left Henry said, "This doesn't look promising at all."
> 
> "No, I don't see anything that could be part of the key." Luna said looking around, then added, "Thanks for dinner, it is nice to get out of the house. I have been feeling a bit cooped up."
> 
> "You are welcome." Henry said smiling. He grabbed a bread stick and started to nibble on it. He didn't dine out much, and felt sure that this was a good time for chit and or chat. He was drawing a complete blank.
> 
> Sensing that they were on the cusp of a tsunami of an uncomfortable silence, Luna said, "Do you suppose we are just missing it?"
> 
> Henry was glad that they were back on the subject of clue hunting, "We must be, let me see, what could be across from and inside the Sheraton?"
> 
> His attention was drawn to the theme of the restaurant. Fianchetto means to place one's bishop on the long diagonal. What about the people in the pictures? Henry recognized Staunton, Mason, and even The Turk, but he couldn't see how any of the pictures helped him with the letters for the key. Maybe it is their initials?
> Henry and Luna talked, he shared his idea about the initials, and while they ate, they tried to piece them together in such a way as to make sense. The steak was good and Luna seemed to enjoy her manicotti.
> 
> "I just don't think that the initials are the answer. All the other clues have been done in such a way, as to be obvious to me." Henry said, looking at the bill, and shaking his head.
> 
> As they walked through the restaurant, sure that the clue wasn't to be found, Henry spotted a chess table. He stopped, and grabbed Luna by the arm. He nodded towards the table. "That is it."
> 
> "The chess table? How do you know?" Luna said.
> 
> "That is not just any chess table. In the late 1700's there was a great shift in American furniture design. The designs of George Hepplewhite, from London, were very popular, as was the designs of a famous artisan named George Sheraton."
> 
> Her eyes lit up. An adorable little smile ran across her face and she said, "Let's go look."
> 
> Henry handed the coat check girl their ticket and as she went to get their coats he quickly opened the drawer. A small manila envelope, was resting under the black queen. Henry took it and slipped it into his pocket, just as the girl returned with their coats.
> 
> Luna linked her arm with Henry's as they walked out of the restaurant and into the cool night. Neither of them said a word as they walked back to the car. The little adventure had done wonders for Luna. Henry was feeling pretty good too.


Kacy,

It sounds like you son is a saavy chess player. I bet he would crush me too.

Brian


----------



## jpw1995

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Inscription*
> 
> 
> 
> The first 5 key letters are across from and inside the Sheraton, the next move is yours.
> 
> Henry closed the book and thought about the inscription. It was apparent that his next task was going to be finding the key to decode the journal. Leaning back on his chair he flipped through the pages one more time, hoping there might be a bit more. Mouse like steps crept down the stairs.
> 
> "Henry, am I bothering you?" said Luna, in a barely audible voice.
> 
> "Not at all, come on down." Henry said with a smile. He knew that Luna was getting a case of cabin fever.
> That combined with her constant worrying about her father were tarnishing her usually shiny personality.
> 
> "Is that a clue?" she said, as she sat on the stool on the other side of Henry's workbench.
> 
> "Yes, I believe it is. I found it this morning at the home of one of your father's clients."
> 
> "May I see it?" she asked with a pleading look.
> 
> "Sure." And Henry handed it to her. Perhaps if she felt like she was helping, it might make her feel a tiny bit better. Henry thought to himself, "It might be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of."
> 
> "How can something be across from and inside of, at the same time?" Luna asked.
> 
> "That is a good question; I was wondering the same thing." Henry said.
> 
> "Perhaps the 5 letters are not in one place, but some are at the Sheraton and some are across the street from the Sheraton?" She theorized and did seem to brighten up a bit.
> 
> "It is a good place to start. I should probably head back into the city and check it out.
> 
> "Let's go!" Luna jumped off the seat, excited about some adventure.
> 
> "I am not sure it is safe, you should…" Henry started to say, when Luna spun around and gave him a look that combined pleading and insisting in a way, which he was sure most men were powerless against. He knew that he was certainly unable to say 'no' to her.
> 
> "Ok, let's go. But we are just going to look around. If things get hinky we are packing it in, ok?!" Henry said in his best, 'I'm in charge' voice. It was only moderately convincing.
> 
> On the drive in, Henry and Luna theorized about where one might find letters, and where they should look first. It was agreed that the clues must be in plain sight. Henry also suggested that they should look in the furniture, as that was where he found the journal.
> 
> The lobby was filled with well dressed people milling about. Henry and Luna felt a bit out of place, the Sheraton catered to the Affluent of the city, and Henry was thinking that it would be hard to look around much. They tried to be casual; Luna took a seat and snuck a peak into the table, while Henry did a lap around the lobby, expecting something to jump out at him. Everything was very leap free.
> Luna got up and whispered, "I didn't find anything, did you?"
> 
> Henry nodded his head 'no' and gave a nod towards the door. They walked out and looked across the street. There was a restaurant, 'Fianchetto's', next to it was a bank, and on the other side was a flower shop. Since the bank and the flower shop were closed, Luna and Henry walked into the restaurant.
> 
> "A table for two Sir?" said a tall man in a dark suit, without looking up from his little reservation book.
> 
> Luna started to say "No, we were…"
> 
> "Yes, a table for two would fine." Henry said, and added, "Don't put us by the kitchen." And he handed the man a fifty. It was a nice restaurant and they hadn't eaten yet. The man snapped his fingers at a smartly dressed woman with a couple of menus and she took them to a nice table near the fish tank.
> 
> All around there were nice old paintings, scenes from Italy, and photos of famous chess players. Henry let Luna order and then he asked for a steak and a salad. After the waitress left Henry said, "This doesn't look promising at all."
> 
> "No, I don't see anything that could be part of the key." Luna said looking around, then added, "Thanks for dinner, it is nice to get out of the house. I have been feeling a bit cooped up."
> 
> "You are welcome." Henry said smiling. He grabbed a bread stick and started to nibble on it. He didn't dine out much, and felt sure that this was a good time for chit and or chat. He was drawing a complete blank.
> 
> Sensing that they were on the cusp of a tsunami of an uncomfortable silence, Luna said, "Do you suppose we are just missing it?"
> 
> Henry was glad that they were back on the subject of clue hunting, "We must be, let me see, what could be across from and inside the Sheraton?"
> 
> His attention was drawn to the theme of the restaurant. Fianchetto means to place one's bishop on the long diagonal. What about the people in the pictures? Henry recognized Staunton, Mason, and even The Turk, but he couldn't see how any of the pictures helped him with the letters for the key. Maybe it is their initials?
> Henry and Luna talked, he shared his idea about the initials, and while they ate, they tried to piece them together in such a way as to make sense. The steak was good and Luna seemed to enjoy her manicotti.
> 
> "I just don't think that the initials are the answer. All the other clues have been done in such a way, as to be obvious to me." Henry said, looking at the bill, and shaking his head.
> 
> As they walked through the restaurant, sure that the clue wasn't to be found, Henry spotted a chess table. He stopped, and grabbed Luna by the arm. He nodded towards the table. "That is it."
> 
> "The chess table? How do you know?" Luna said.
> 
> "That is not just any chess table. In the late 1700's there was a great shift in American furniture design. The designs of George Hepplewhite, from London, were very popular, as was the designs of a famous artisan named George Sheraton."
> 
> Her eyes lit up. An adorable little smile ran across her face and she said, "Let's go look."
> 
> Henry handed the coat check girl their ticket and as she went to get their coats he quickly opened the drawer. A small manila envelope, was resting under the black queen. Henry took it and slipped it into his pocket, just as the girl returned with their coats.
> 
> Luna linked her arm with Henry's as they walked out of the restaurant and into the cool night. Neither of them said a word as they walked back to the car. The little adventure had done wonders for Luna. Henry was feeling pretty good too.


The picture of The Turk… are we talking Virgil Sollozzo or the chess playing machine?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Inscription*
> 
> 
> 
> The first 5 key letters are across from and inside the Sheraton, the next move is yours.
> 
> Henry closed the book and thought about the inscription. It was apparent that his next task was going to be finding the key to decode the journal. Leaning back on his chair he flipped through the pages one more time, hoping there might be a bit more. Mouse like steps crept down the stairs.
> 
> "Henry, am I bothering you?" said Luna, in a barely audible voice.
> 
> "Not at all, come on down." Henry said with a smile. He knew that Luna was getting a case of cabin fever.
> That combined with her constant worrying about her father were tarnishing her usually shiny personality.
> 
> "Is that a clue?" she said, as she sat on the stool on the other side of Henry's workbench.
> 
> "Yes, I believe it is. I found it this morning at the home of one of your father's clients."
> 
> "May I see it?" she asked with a pleading look.
> 
> "Sure." And Henry handed it to her. Perhaps if she felt like she was helping, it might make her feel a tiny bit better. Henry thought to himself, "It might be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of."
> 
> "How can something be across from and inside of, at the same time?" Luna asked.
> 
> "That is a good question; I was wondering the same thing." Henry said.
> 
> "Perhaps the 5 letters are not in one place, but some are at the Sheraton and some are across the street from the Sheraton?" She theorized and did seem to brighten up a bit.
> 
> "It is a good place to start. I should probably head back into the city and check it out.
> 
> "Let's go!" Luna jumped off the seat, excited about some adventure.
> 
> "I am not sure it is safe, you should…" Henry started to say, when Luna spun around and gave him a look that combined pleading and insisting in a way, which he was sure most men were powerless against. He knew that he was certainly unable to say 'no' to her.
> 
> "Ok, let's go. But we are just going to look around. If things get hinky we are packing it in, ok?!" Henry said in his best, 'I'm in charge' voice. It was only moderately convincing.
> 
> On the drive in, Henry and Luna theorized about where one might find letters, and where they should look first. It was agreed that the clues must be in plain sight. Henry also suggested that they should look in the furniture, as that was where he found the journal.
> 
> The lobby was filled with well dressed people milling about. Henry and Luna felt a bit out of place, the Sheraton catered to the Affluent of the city, and Henry was thinking that it would be hard to look around much. They tried to be casual; Luna took a seat and snuck a peak into the table, while Henry did a lap around the lobby, expecting something to jump out at him. Everything was very leap free.
> Luna got up and whispered, "I didn't find anything, did you?"
> 
> Henry nodded his head 'no' and gave a nod towards the door. They walked out and looked across the street. There was a restaurant, 'Fianchetto's', next to it was a bank, and on the other side was a flower shop. Since the bank and the flower shop were closed, Luna and Henry walked into the restaurant.
> 
> "A table for two Sir?" said a tall man in a dark suit, without looking up from his little reservation book.
> 
> Luna started to say "No, we were…"
> 
> "Yes, a table for two would fine." Henry said, and added, "Don't put us by the kitchen." And he handed the man a fifty. It was a nice restaurant and they hadn't eaten yet. The man snapped his fingers at a smartly dressed woman with a couple of menus and she took them to a nice table near the fish tank.
> 
> All around there were nice old paintings, scenes from Italy, and photos of famous chess players. Henry let Luna order and then he asked for a steak and a salad. After the waitress left Henry said, "This doesn't look promising at all."
> 
> "No, I don't see anything that could be part of the key." Luna said looking around, then added, "Thanks for dinner, it is nice to get out of the house. I have been feeling a bit cooped up."
> 
> "You are welcome." Henry said smiling. He grabbed a bread stick and started to nibble on it. He didn't dine out much, and felt sure that this was a good time for chit and or chat. He was drawing a complete blank.
> 
> Sensing that they were on the cusp of a tsunami of an uncomfortable silence, Luna said, "Do you suppose we are just missing it?"
> 
> Henry was glad that they were back on the subject of clue hunting, "We must be, let me see, what could be across from and inside the Sheraton?"
> 
> His attention was drawn to the theme of the restaurant. Fianchetto means to place one's bishop on the long diagonal. What about the people in the pictures? Henry recognized Staunton, Mason, and even The Turk, but he couldn't see how any of the pictures helped him with the letters for the key. Maybe it is their initials?
> Henry and Luna talked, he shared his idea about the initials, and while they ate, they tried to piece them together in such a way as to make sense. The steak was good and Luna seemed to enjoy her manicotti.
> 
> "I just don't think that the initials are the answer. All the other clues have been done in such a way, as to be obvious to me." Henry said, looking at the bill, and shaking his head.
> 
> As they walked through the restaurant, sure that the clue wasn't to be found, Henry spotted a chess table. He stopped, and grabbed Luna by the arm. He nodded towards the table. "That is it."
> 
> "The chess table? How do you know?" Luna said.
> 
> "That is not just any chess table. In the late 1700's there was a great shift in American furniture design. The designs of George Hepplewhite, from London, were very popular, as was the designs of a famous artisan named George Sheraton."
> 
> Her eyes lit up. An adorable little smile ran across her face and she said, "Let's go look."
> 
> Henry handed the coat check girl their ticket and as she went to get their coats he quickly opened the drawer. A small manila envelope, was resting under the black queen. Henry took it and slipped it into his pocket, just as the girl returned with their coats.
> 
> Luna linked her arm with Henry's as they walked out of the restaurant and into the cool night. Neither of them said a word as they walked back to the car. The little adventure had done wonders for Luna. Henry was feeling pretty good too.


I was talking about the chess playing machine. Great question! Two points!


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Inscription*
> 
> 
> 
> The first 5 key letters are across from and inside the Sheraton, the next move is yours.
> 
> Henry closed the book and thought about the inscription. It was apparent that his next task was going to be finding the key to decode the journal. Leaning back on his chair he flipped through the pages one more time, hoping there might be a bit more. Mouse like steps crept down the stairs.
> 
> "Henry, am I bothering you?" said Luna, in a barely audible voice.
> 
> "Not at all, come on down." Henry said with a smile. He knew that Luna was getting a case of cabin fever.
> That combined with her constant worrying about her father were tarnishing her usually shiny personality.
> 
> "Is that a clue?" she said, as she sat on the stool on the other side of Henry's workbench.
> 
> "Yes, I believe it is. I found it this morning at the home of one of your father's clients."
> 
> "May I see it?" she asked with a pleading look.
> 
> "Sure." And Henry handed it to her. Perhaps if she felt like she was helping, it might make her feel a tiny bit better. Henry thought to himself, "It might be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of."
> 
> "How can something be across from and inside of, at the same time?" Luna asked.
> 
> "That is a good question; I was wondering the same thing." Henry said.
> 
> "Perhaps the 5 letters are not in one place, but some are at the Sheraton and some are across the street from the Sheraton?" She theorized and did seem to brighten up a bit.
> 
> "It is a good place to start. I should probably head back into the city and check it out.
> 
> "Let's go!" Luna jumped off the seat, excited about some adventure.
> 
> "I am not sure it is safe, you should…" Henry started to say, when Luna spun around and gave him a look that combined pleading and insisting in a way, which he was sure most men were powerless against. He knew that he was certainly unable to say 'no' to her.
> 
> "Ok, let's go. But we are just going to look around. If things get hinky we are packing it in, ok?!" Henry said in his best, 'I'm in charge' voice. It was only moderately convincing.
> 
> On the drive in, Henry and Luna theorized about where one might find letters, and where they should look first. It was agreed that the clues must be in plain sight. Henry also suggested that they should look in the furniture, as that was where he found the journal.
> 
> The lobby was filled with well dressed people milling about. Henry and Luna felt a bit out of place, the Sheraton catered to the Affluent of the city, and Henry was thinking that it would be hard to look around much. They tried to be casual; Luna took a seat and snuck a peak into the table, while Henry did a lap around the lobby, expecting something to jump out at him. Everything was very leap free.
> Luna got up and whispered, "I didn't find anything, did you?"
> 
> Henry nodded his head 'no' and gave a nod towards the door. They walked out and looked across the street. There was a restaurant, 'Fianchetto's', next to it was a bank, and on the other side was a flower shop. Since the bank and the flower shop were closed, Luna and Henry walked into the restaurant.
> 
> "A table for two Sir?" said a tall man in a dark suit, without looking up from his little reservation book.
> 
> Luna started to say "No, we were…"
> 
> "Yes, a table for two would fine." Henry said, and added, "Don't put us by the kitchen." And he handed the man a fifty. It was a nice restaurant and they hadn't eaten yet. The man snapped his fingers at a smartly dressed woman with a couple of menus and she took them to a nice table near the fish tank.
> 
> All around there were nice old paintings, scenes from Italy, and photos of famous chess players. Henry let Luna order and then he asked for a steak and a salad. After the waitress left Henry said, "This doesn't look promising at all."
> 
> "No, I don't see anything that could be part of the key." Luna said looking around, then added, "Thanks for dinner, it is nice to get out of the house. I have been feeling a bit cooped up."
> 
> "You are welcome." Henry said smiling. He grabbed a bread stick and started to nibble on it. He didn't dine out much, and felt sure that this was a good time for chit and or chat. He was drawing a complete blank.
> 
> Sensing that they were on the cusp of a tsunami of an uncomfortable silence, Luna said, "Do you suppose we are just missing it?"
> 
> Henry was glad that they were back on the subject of clue hunting, "We must be, let me see, what could be across from and inside the Sheraton?"
> 
> His attention was drawn to the theme of the restaurant. Fianchetto means to place one's bishop on the long diagonal. What about the people in the pictures? Henry recognized Staunton, Mason, and even The Turk, but he couldn't see how any of the pictures helped him with the letters for the key. Maybe it is their initials?
> Henry and Luna talked, he shared his idea about the initials, and while they ate, they tried to piece them together in such a way as to make sense. The steak was good and Luna seemed to enjoy her manicotti.
> 
> "I just don't think that the initials are the answer. All the other clues have been done in such a way, as to be obvious to me." Henry said, looking at the bill, and shaking his head.
> 
> As they walked through the restaurant, sure that the clue wasn't to be found, Henry spotted a chess table. He stopped, and grabbed Luna by the arm. He nodded towards the table. "That is it."
> 
> "The chess table? How do you know?" Luna said.
> 
> "That is not just any chess table. In the late 1700's there was a great shift in American furniture design. The designs of George Hepplewhite, from London, were very popular, as was the designs of a famous artisan named George Sheraton."
> 
> Her eyes lit up. An adorable little smile ran across her face and she said, "Let's go look."
> 
> Henry handed the coat check girl their ticket and as she went to get their coats he quickly opened the drawer. A small manila envelope, was resting under the black queen. Henry took it and slipped it into his pocket, just as the girl returned with their coats.
> 
> Luna linked her arm with Henry's as they walked out of the restaurant and into the cool night. Neither of them said a word as they walked back to the car. The little adventure had done wonders for Luna. Henry was feeling pretty good too.


good to see Henry back
and thank´s for the five minuts
of joy together with my coffee
Brian

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Monday Ramblings*



Tonight I bought a ½ inch x 2 inch Freud bit. The instructions for installing the router plate said I should have one, and I can't think of a single reason why the Rousseau people would lie to me. Of course, it takes very little prodding to get me to buy a new tool or tool related accessory.

Yesterday, in addition to the final glue up, I spent some time meditating about the install. I sat in the middle of the room, in the lotus position, and hummed and visualized a perfect install. Ok, none of that is true. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing with my Wii. I was playing the Wii cabinet builder game, and made it all the way to kitchen remodeling. Yeah, that wasn't true either.

It feels like I need to take a day or two and not work on it. I can't explain why, but there is a little voice in my head, that is telling me that I am on the precipice of a mistake. The little alarm bells in my head made me pause the glue up for a couple of hours, and sure enough, I figure out a different method. I can't say for sure that the process was better than my original thought, but it did work. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing up, as I really like the look of my router table top. In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs I said, "Man that is a sexy table top."



It might just be fear. Fear is a constant companion on my journey. She walks beside me, whispering in my ear, saying "Are you sure about that?" You may have notice that I choose the third-person personal pronoun 'she' for fear. This is, in part, because of a blog post I read today. The question was posed, "What frightens you?" My answer was, in a nutshell, single women and nightclubs. There was a long story, which I won't bore you with, but I realized that fear is an exciting aspect of life. It isn't the fear so much, as the rush of overcoming it.

Thus far, the table seems to be coming along nicely. I have gotten over my fear of gluing two pieces of wood together. Next stop, my fear of installing the router base plate.


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Monday Ramblings*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight I bought a ½ inch x 2 inch Freud bit. The instructions for installing the router plate said I should have one, and I can't think of a single reason why the Rousseau people would lie to me. Of course, it takes very little prodding to get me to buy a new tool or tool related accessory.
> 
> Yesterday, in addition to the final glue up, I spent some time meditating about the install. I sat in the middle of the room, in the lotus position, and hummed and visualized a perfect install. Ok, none of that is true. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing with my Wii. I was playing the Wii cabinet builder game, and made it all the way to kitchen remodeling. Yeah, that wasn't true either.
> 
> It feels like I need to take a day or two and not work on it. I can't explain why, but there is a little voice in my head, that is telling me that I am on the precipice of a mistake. The little alarm bells in my head made me pause the glue up for a couple of hours, and sure enough, I figure out a different method. I can't say for sure that the process was better than my original thought, but it did work. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing up, as I really like the look of my router table top. In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs I said, "Man that is a sexy table top."
> 
> 
> 
> It might just be fear. Fear is a constant companion on my journey. She walks beside me, whispering in my ear, saying "Are you sure about that?" You may have notice that I choose the third-person personal pronoun 'she' for fear. This is, in part, because of a blog post I read today. The question was posed, "What frightens you?" My answer was, in a nutshell, single women and nightclubs. There was a long story, which I won't bore you with, but I realized that fear is an exciting aspect of life. It isn't the fear so much, as the rush of overcoming it.
> 
> Thus far, the table seems to be coming along nicely. I have gotten over my fear of gluing two pieces of wood together. Next stop, my fear of installing the router base plate.


You know, the text and photo in this post present so many opportunities to go non-PG with comments that I think I'm better off just refraining altogether!


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Monday Ramblings*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight I bought a ½ inch x 2 inch Freud bit. The instructions for installing the router plate said I should have one, and I can't think of a single reason why the Rousseau people would lie to me. Of course, it takes very little prodding to get me to buy a new tool or tool related accessory.
> 
> Yesterday, in addition to the final glue up, I spent some time meditating about the install. I sat in the middle of the room, in the lotus position, and hummed and visualized a perfect install. Ok, none of that is true. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing with my Wii. I was playing the Wii cabinet builder game, and made it all the way to kitchen remodeling. Yeah, that wasn't true either.
> 
> It feels like I need to take a day or two and not work on it. I can't explain why, but there is a little voice in my head, that is telling me that I am on the precipice of a mistake. The little alarm bells in my head made me pause the glue up for a couple of hours, and sure enough, I figure out a different method. I can't say for sure that the process was better than my original thought, but it did work. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing up, as I really like the look of my router table top. In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs I said, "Man that is a sexy table top."
> 
> 
> 
> It might just be fear. Fear is a constant companion on my journey. She walks beside me, whispering in my ear, saying "Are you sure about that?" You may have notice that I choose the third-person personal pronoun 'she' for fear. This is, in part, because of a blog post I read today. The question was posed, "What frightens you?" My answer was, in a nutshell, single women and nightclubs. There was a long story, which I won't bore you with, but I realized that fear is an exciting aspect of life. It isn't the fear so much, as the rush of overcoming it.
> 
> Thus far, the table seems to be coming along nicely. I have gotten over my fear of gluing two pieces of wood together. Next stop, my fear of installing the router base plate.


Kacy, is it the part where he wrote: "In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs…". It just screams "router table", doesn't it? : )

Brian, Looks good!

Bill


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Monday Ramblings*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight I bought a ½ inch x 2 inch Freud bit. The instructions for installing the router plate said I should have one, and I can't think of a single reason why the Rousseau people would lie to me. Of course, it takes very little prodding to get me to buy a new tool or tool related accessory.
> 
> Yesterday, in addition to the final glue up, I spent some time meditating about the install. I sat in the middle of the room, in the lotus position, and hummed and visualized a perfect install. Ok, none of that is true. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing with my Wii. I was playing the Wii cabinet builder game, and made it all the way to kitchen remodeling. Yeah, that wasn't true either.
> 
> It feels like I need to take a day or two and not work on it. I can't explain why, but there is a little voice in my head, that is telling me that I am on the precipice of a mistake. The little alarm bells in my head made me pause the glue up for a couple of hours, and sure enough, I figure out a different method. I can't say for sure that the process was better than my original thought, but it did work. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing up, as I really like the look of my router table top. In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs I said, "Man that is a sexy table top."
> 
> 
> 
> It might just be fear. Fear is a constant companion on my journey. She walks beside me, whispering in my ear, saying "Are you sure about that?" You may have notice that I choose the third-person personal pronoun 'she' for fear. This is, in part, because of a blog post I read today. The question was posed, "What frightens you?" My answer was, in a nutshell, single women and nightclubs. There was a long story, which I won't bore you with, but I realized that fear is an exciting aspect of life. It isn't the fear so much, as the rush of overcoming it.
> 
> Thus far, the table seems to be coming along nicely. I have gotten over my fear of gluing two pieces of wood together. Next stop, my fear of installing the router base plate.


the table looks great , brian .

you will get over the fear ,
it's no harder to overcome ,
than building a router table !


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Monday Ramblings*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight I bought a ½ inch x 2 inch Freud bit. The instructions for installing the router plate said I should have one, and I can't think of a single reason why the Rousseau people would lie to me. Of course, it takes very little prodding to get me to buy a new tool or tool related accessory.
> 
> Yesterday, in addition to the final glue up, I spent some time meditating about the install. I sat in the middle of the room, in the lotus position, and hummed and visualized a perfect install. Ok, none of that is true. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing with my Wii. I was playing the Wii cabinet builder game, and made it all the way to kitchen remodeling. Yeah, that wasn't true either.
> 
> It feels like I need to take a day or two and not work on it. I can't explain why, but there is a little voice in my head, that is telling me that I am on the precipice of a mistake. The little alarm bells in my head made me pause the glue up for a couple of hours, and sure enough, I figure out a different method. I can't say for sure that the process was better than my original thought, but it did work. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing up, as I really like the look of my router table top. In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs I said, "Man that is a sexy table top."
> 
> 
> 
> It might just be fear. Fear is a constant companion on my journey. She walks beside me, whispering in my ear, saying "Are you sure about that?" You may have notice that I choose the third-person personal pronoun 'she' for fear. This is, in part, because of a blog post I read today. The question was posed, "What frightens you?" My answer was, in a nutshell, single women and nightclubs. There was a long story, which I won't bore you with, but I realized that fear is an exciting aspect of life. It isn't the fear so much, as the rush of overcoming it.
> 
> Thus far, the table seems to be coming along nicely. I have gotten over my fear of gluing two pieces of wood together. Next stop, my fear of installing the router base plate.


Brian, the table is coming along well. And, I think that most of us tend to have the same "fears" that you do as when at this stage of a project. Like David said, experience will alleviate these fears over time but in the meantime the only way to gain "experience" is to work though these nagging doubts.


----------



## asyler

Ecocandle said:


> *Monday Ramblings*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight I bought a ½ inch x 2 inch Freud bit. The instructions for installing the router plate said I should have one, and I can't think of a single reason why the Rousseau people would lie to me. Of course, it takes very little prodding to get me to buy a new tool or tool related accessory.
> 
> Yesterday, in addition to the final glue up, I spent some time meditating about the install. I sat in the middle of the room, in the lotus position, and hummed and visualized a perfect install. Ok, none of that is true. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing with my Wii. I was playing the Wii cabinet builder game, and made it all the way to kitchen remodeling. Yeah, that wasn't true either.
> 
> It feels like I need to take a day or two and not work on it. I can't explain why, but there is a little voice in my head, that is telling me that I am on the precipice of a mistake. The little alarm bells in my head made me pause the glue up for a couple of hours, and sure enough, I figure out a different method. I can't say for sure that the process was better than my original thought, but it did work. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing up, as I really like the look of my router table top. In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs I said, "Man that is a sexy table top."
> 
> 
> 
> It might just be fear. Fear is a constant companion on my journey. She walks beside me, whispering in my ear, saying "Are you sure about that?" You may have notice that I choose the third-person personal pronoun 'she' for fear. This is, in part, because of a blog post I read today. The question was posed, "What frightens you?" My answer was, in a nutshell, single women and nightclubs. There was a long story, which I won't bore you with, but I realized that fear is an exciting aspect of life. It isn't the fear so much, as the rush of overcoming it.
> 
> Thus far, the table seems to be coming along nicely. I have gotten over my fear of gluing two pieces of wood together. Next stop, my fear of installing the router base plate.


I like the Wii game.. guess it would start with entertainment centers and go to kitchens?


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Monday Ramblings*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight I bought a ½ inch x 2 inch Freud bit. The instructions for installing the router plate said I should have one, and I can't think of a single reason why the Rousseau people would lie to me. Of course, it takes very little prodding to get me to buy a new tool or tool related accessory.
> 
> Yesterday, in addition to the final glue up, I spent some time meditating about the install. I sat in the middle of the room, in the lotus position, and hummed and visualized a perfect install. Ok, none of that is true. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing with my Wii. I was playing the Wii cabinet builder game, and made it all the way to kitchen remodeling. Yeah, that wasn't true either.
> 
> It feels like I need to take a day or two and not work on it. I can't explain why, but there is a little voice in my head, that is telling me that I am on the precipice of a mistake. The little alarm bells in my head made me pause the glue up for a couple of hours, and sure enough, I figure out a different method. I can't say for sure that the process was better than my original thought, but it did work. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing up, as I really like the look of my router table top. In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs I said, "Man that is a sexy table top."
> 
> 
> 
> It might just be fear. Fear is a constant companion on my journey. She walks beside me, whispering in my ear, saying "Are you sure about that?" You may have notice that I choose the third-person personal pronoun 'she' for fear. This is, in part, because of a blog post I read today. The question was posed, "What frightens you?" My answer was, in a nutshell, single women and nightclubs. There was a long story, which I won't bore you with, but I realized that fear is an exciting aspect of life. It isn't the fear so much, as the rush of overcoming it.
> 
> Thus far, the table seems to be coming along nicely. I have gotten over my fear of gluing two pieces of wood together. Next stop, my fear of installing the router base plate.


Good job so far Brian. I like that well defined neat hole in the middle. I can see a router plate sitting there in the near future.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Monday Ramblings*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight I bought a ½ inch x 2 inch Freud bit. The instructions for installing the router plate said I should have one, and I can't think of a single reason why the Rousseau people would lie to me. Of course, it takes very little prodding to get me to buy a new tool or tool related accessory.
> 
> Yesterday, in addition to the final glue up, I spent some time meditating about the install. I sat in the middle of the room, in the lotus position, and hummed and visualized a perfect install. Ok, none of that is true. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing with my Wii. I was playing the Wii cabinet builder game, and made it all the way to kitchen remodeling. Yeah, that wasn't true either.
> 
> It feels like I need to take a day or two and not work on it. I can't explain why, but there is a little voice in my head, that is telling me that I am on the precipice of a mistake. The little alarm bells in my head made me pause the glue up for a couple of hours, and sure enough, I figure out a different method. I can't say for sure that the process was better than my original thought, but it did work. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing up, as I really like the look of my router table top. In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs I said, "Man that is a sexy table top."
> 
> 
> 
> It might just be fear. Fear is a constant companion on my journey. She walks beside me, whispering in my ear, saying "Are you sure about that?" You may have notice that I choose the third-person personal pronoun 'she' for fear. This is, in part, because of a blog post I read today. The question was posed, "What frightens you?" My answer was, in a nutshell, single women and nightclubs. There was a long story, which I won't bore you with, but I realized that fear is an exciting aspect of life. It isn't the fear so much, as the rush of overcoming it.
> 
> Thus far, the table seems to be coming along nicely. I have gotten over my fear of gluing two pieces of wood together. Next stop, my fear of installing the router base plate.


the table look great from here Brian
but when said it looks sexy I´m off
you better take two weeks on the beach
down in sao paulo and see what is sexy
and while you are down there you
can visit
http://lumberjocks.com/dilo
in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
and see his tools/shop
http://lumberjocks.com/dilo/workshop

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Monday Ramblings*
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight I bought a ½ inch x 2 inch Freud bit. The instructions for installing the router plate said I should have one, and I can't think of a single reason why the Rousseau people would lie to me. Of course, it takes very little prodding to get me to buy a new tool or tool related accessory.
> 
> Yesterday, in addition to the final glue up, I spent some time meditating about the install. I sat in the middle of the room, in the lotus position, and hummed and visualized a perfect install. Ok, none of that is true. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing with my Wii. I was playing the Wii cabinet builder game, and made it all the way to kitchen remodeling. Yeah, that wasn't true either.
> 
> It feels like I need to take a day or two and not work on it. I can't explain why, but there is a little voice in my head, that is telling me that I am on the precipice of a mistake. The little alarm bells in my head made me pause the glue up for a couple of hours, and sure enough, I figure out a different method. I can't say for sure that the process was better than my original thought, but it did work. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing up, as I really like the look of my router table top. In fact, when I unclamped it and set it on top of the legs I said, "Man that is a sexy table top."
> 
> 
> 
> It might just be fear. Fear is a constant companion on my journey. She walks beside me, whispering in my ear, saying "Are you sure about that?" You may have notice that I choose the third-person personal pronoun 'she' for fear. This is, in part, because of a blog post I read today. The question was posed, "What frightens you?" My answer was, in a nutshell, single women and nightclubs. There was a long story, which I won't bore you with, but I realized that fear is an exciting aspect of life. It isn't the fear so much, as the rush of overcoming it.
> 
> Thus far, the table seems to be coming along nicely. I have gotten over my fear of gluing two pieces of wood together. Next stop, my fear of installing the router base plate.


Dennisgrosen,

That is a very sexy tool shop.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*



The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.

The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.

Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.

I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?

With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.

Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.

So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.

Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.

They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


With some practice, you will soon be in the running for "most improved line drawer"! Thanks for sharing your frustrations - now if would just share your pop-tarts…


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


brian ,
we are never to old for a treat !

i made this for parallel lines ,
it can also be done with any dimension you might use 
over and over .
















for carving , make copies of your drawings ,
and use photomount spray glue ,
crisp clean lines ,
and repeatability if you mess up ,
or want multiples .


----------



## Kacy

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


I like that a lot, patron … I'm pretty sure that I need one.


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


I am much much older than you. To compound the age problem I had a serious eye injury in Des Moines in 1940 which is making things harder in my advanced age. I can share my method of making straight lines on wood. I use a piece of wood for a guide and a pizza cutter to make the mark. The good news is that as you work through the stages and reach the point where you are working through your senility. You will be much calmer and forgiving. Or is it unaware?


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


I guess I can't resist trying to solve your problem instead of just being there and understanding like my wife tells me I should. I'm sorry.

Two words: Incra.com

These folks know lines and precision. They will also fulfill your need to purchase a quality tool.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


Patron,

That is very cool.

OutPutter,

I love precision. Good suggestion.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


Hey Autumn,

It is good to see you are still stopping by ever now and again. 

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


Well, thank you for introducing me to "chip carving". It looks like it requires a lot of practice! Please post a pic of what you make for your curious readers! : ) On a related note, I spent a few hours learning about blacksmithing this week. The Internet really helps expand one's horizons!

Bill


----------



## deeman

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


Getting old aint for sissy's


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


I feel your pain Brian. I recently discovered that my eyesight for very near objects has improved, so I am at the bifocal age. Right now I take my glasses off when reading or looking at objects very closeup. After decades of being half blind and half that time wearing the old plastic frame glasses with coke bottle lenses (which by the way is no longer a description that makes sense) my eyes have decided to kick it in reverse.

My brother and I were sitting down together and he was talking about fatigue and prostate issues and I am rattling on about my hip. I had to laugh, I don't remember having these conversations before and I was wondering how long before we are recommending dentures and fiber supplements 

And as far as parallel lines go, I feel your pain there as well. For years before I started woodworking, I thought it would be cool to make my own furniture. One hour after woodworking, I thought it would be cool to make a square cut.

Hang in there,

David


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


Having passed all the usual key dates in growing old, and, officially, some years ago, becoming a card carrying geezer, and never having dated a super model, won the Nobel or discovered the secrets of Alchemy, I have great sympathy with your frustration.

I also used to be disgruntled, but attended a re-gruntling seminar and feel a lot better now. I believe I'm going to stay clean.

To get serious for a moment, however brief, I have some tips to pass on that deal with the frustrations of poor vision. I refer to the physical sense, not the artistic kind of vision.

At the top of the hit list, use plenty of good light. The eye, exactly like a camera, uses a higher ƒ number, increasing the depth of field. That is to say, for those not into photographic minutia, the iris of the lens gets smaller and you can see something that might have been out of your range of focus in dimmer conditions.

Don't be afraid of magnifiers. If you're at the stage where you can't see what you're doing, chances are things won't be getting better. One of my favorites is the little gizmo jewelers use that clips onto the glasses. It has two lenses that can be flipped up or down, used in combination or not. An inexpensive one is carried by Harbor freight. Buying the cheap ones makes it less stressful when you drop it on the concrete floor.

I also have a good sized magnifier on an articulated arn which is lighted by a circle shaped fluorescent lamp. I have it clamped to my scroll saw, but it's easily moved to wherever I need it.

And then there's the woodworkers fall-back:
"Honey, can you help me find my widget? I dropped it and can't see it."

Here's hoping you find good ways to deal with presbyopea.

d


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


Reading glasses ? Rx or off the shelf ? if Rx how old is the prescription. If they are not Rx or if they are and over a year old its time for a proper eye exam. Its not JUST about woodworking. If you do not need a change talk about eye exercises with your eye MD. Since you do close work, including on the computer you may well find the the answer is not that you are getting old so much as you tend to focus (eye wise ) in one area of vision to much.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


Frankly Brian I revel in my poor eyesight. I can no longer see all of the imperfects in my projects and I'm much happier because of it. As they say, "ignorance is bliss". Another tip to reduce your anger level is to lower your expectations a little when you are trying out new things. If anyone could do these things really well without practice and experience then the work wouldn't be appreciated by others. In other words you should always be prepared to pay your dues. The problem with these cliches' is that we are so used to hearing them that we forget the truth they contain.


----------



## Brad_Nailor

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


You almost have to eat two pop tarts..they pack them two to a foil pack…and you cant let the other one sit around and get stale, once the foil pack is opened.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


David,

Great response, I chuckeled, as always. 

Don,

Good advice on the magnifyer. I may look into it.

Rtb,

Actually they are not prescription. I think you are right about getting an eye exam.

Stefang,

I hadn't thought about the advantages.

Brad,

I DID eat both of them!!!

Thanks All,

Brian


----------



## MyChipCarving

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


For consistent lines down the edge of your board and to ease your frustrations, check out the Flat Lying Trammel Set - http://www.mychipcarving.com/Chip_Carving/Store/layout.htm

Glad to assist you with your chip carving adventure if you'd like!
I've created a lot of videos that will get you carving without the stress.

http://www.mychipcarving.com/Chip_Carving/Pages/chip_carving_free_eletter.htm

Enjoy,
Marty
www.MyChipCarving.com
866-444-6996


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *Angry Pants and Pop-Tarts*
> 
> 
> 
> The DVD 'Chip Carving', with Wayne Barton, starts out with some Bavarian folk music as Wayne narrates about chip carving. Ok, I am not exactly sure about the music, but it is not terribly modern. It is pretty cheesy. I can't say for sure, but I would guess it was cheesy in 1986 too. Despite the rather simple production quality, I think this is going to be a good video.
> 
> The tools required are a carving knife and a stabbing knife. I have only a carving, so stabbing will have to wait. The dimensions for the first instructional carving lines are 2 mm, 4 mm, 4 mm and 2 mm. Thus far, drawing lines is within my skill set.
> 
> Ok, this is going to be a short blog tonight. Apparently I was a bit cocky when I said, "drawing lines is within my skill set". Drawing the lines on the wood, so I can start the video has pissed me off terribly. I am no longer having fun. I like the idea of chip carving and I am going to stay with it, but I am not going to write anymore for now. That being said let me write a bit more. I have become an 'Angry Pants'. I love precision and the problem seems to be that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I have reading glasses and they seem to be helping a little bit, but I am still not at all getting perfect lines.
> 
> I think the problem, nay the source of my anger, is not the silly 2 and 4 millimeter lines, it is the whole getting old thing. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. Who do I talk to about this? It is the freaking twenty first century and we haven't solved this whole aging thing yet? Come on people! Surely there are some mad scientists, or at the very least, some mildly disgruntled scientists, who are trying to fix this annoying problem?
> 
> With each passing year I come to grips with what can't be done. I am 5' 6" tall. In my late 30's I gave up on the thought that one day, I would become a rabid gym rat, work on my calves, and eventually be able to dunk. I am older than all the pro athletes, in all the sports, so the dream of suddenly developing into a world class tennis player has vanished. The list goes on, dating a super model, winning a noble peace price, finding the secret to alchemy, and dating another super model, have all been scratched off as being unreasonable.
> 
> Of course, all of these dreams were unreasonable from the beginning, and I know this. However, when one is day dreaming, before entering their 40's, it is still possible to be delusional enough to imagine qualifying for the U.S. Open. Naturally this then leads to beating Tiger Woods on the 18th hole, by making eagle, with an 8 iron, from 154 yards. To say that I am a dreamer, well that is an understatement.
> 
> So, now that I have come to grips with all that is not possible, I ask you, is it unreasonable to dream of being able to draw parallel freaking lines? That is all I want. A few lines, equidistant apart. No supermodels, no U.S. Open, no saving the world, I just want to draw some lines. I am not sure if I can set the bar any lower.
> 
> Chip carving is now my sworn enemy. I will obsess with it, I will hunt it down, and I will make it do my bidding! I am so angry I could spit, ok, not spit per se, but I am angry enough to eat two pop-tarts. Yes, I know, that doesn't sound very angry. Eating a pop-tart is hardly an act of a disgruntled woodworker, but truth be known, I am also too old to get very worked up, even when I am angry.
> 
> They are blueberry. They are delicious. I am going to try to draw some more lines.


I also like to read, but after a 12 hour day working with a lot of computer work the eyes get tired and I cannot even get through one chapter of a book…

I have to learn to take more breaks.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Too Tired to Type*



I like my job. I like it every day. Today was the sprinkles on top of a double chocolate cup cake. If every day is good, then aren't they all the same, and by definition average. Well today, wasn't average, it was good with sprinkles. I woke up and from the moment I started zipping around the World Wide Web, it just seemed that things were getting done. And they were. It wore me out.

I can't describe how tired I am. I am sure there is a measurement, some sort of meter or barometer, where one can put into context the level of tired, but I don't know what it is, and even if I did, it is probably part of the metric system. We Americans aren't allowed to use the metric system, with it's incredibly rational set up. I just know that on a scale of 1 to 37, 37 being more tired than a cliché that has been beaten to death, I am at a solid 36.3.

I watched a movie tonight, which I rented from the local C Store. The C Store, is Martelle's gas station and convenience store. The movie du jour, 'Up in the Air', with George Clooney, Jason Bateman, and other actors, who I am too tired to remember and list. It was enjoyable. The movie isn't due back until tomorrow by 5 pm, and since I am so exhausted, I decided I better do it now, because waiting until tomorrow, when I was rested, didn't cross my mind.

I returned the video. I sat in my car, for a length of time, which might be considered uncomfortable. Finally after a long period of considering something, something poignant I am sure, I started the car and drove to Mt. Vernon. It is 9 miles from Martelle, unless you are going to the one near DC, then it is further. The night was foggy. The sort of fog that makes one want to be home and in bed, so I just had to take a drive.

I thought about this little town, in Kansas, north of the Oklahoma pan handle, by about 100 miles. I thought about coming over the hill, looking down into the valley, and seeing the tiny town of about 30 houses. I remembered the wheat, not yet harvested, but ready. I thought about the time of day, about 2 hours before sunset. As I drove down that long slow valley, I wished I had my camera. I knew that I would be coming back down this road in ninety minutes or so, and the sun would light the wheat fields up with an angelic glow. The red stone church, with its spire reaching for heaven, would surely sing at the beauty. It was such an amazing church, for such a little town.

I thought about this place, this photograph stored in my mind, as I drove through the fog, from one gas station, to another. I filled my tank up in Mt. Vernon, and turned around and came back. I thought about how tired I was, on the way home, and that I wished I had a 15 hour drive ahead of me. I would love to pull over to a rest stop for a nap. Long drives are a joy. Being alone with one's thoughts, the miles ahead, too many to count, it is peaceful like few places on earth. I wished I was on such a journey.

When I read Jack Kerouac's, 'On The Road', twenty years ago, I was overtaken with a wanderlust. It has never left me. Everyone says they love to travel, and maybe they do. Few actually make it a point to see all the places that fill their minds and hearts wonder. Sean Nobel does as does my friend Bryce Miller. They often travel together. They walk the walk that is for sure. Me, I don't so much.

So tonight I thought about places I have been and places I would like to go. I gave woodworking very little thought, except the bit about figuring out chip carving. If you stopped in yesterday, you will know that I was trying to figure out chip carving. I have a DVD, and despite the cheesy music, was nearly prepared to begin, when old age, and uneven lines stopped me in my tracks. I did eventually get some good lines, but that turned out to be just the beginning of my problems. I spent at least 35 minutes trying to figure out how he was holding the knife and making the cuts. I kept replaying it, checking my grip, and I could not get in position to do what he was describing. It was as if I was being thrown curve ball after curve ball, and I just kept missing.

After many attempts I realized the problem. The sneaky guy on the video was left handed. I switched hands, made a few cuts. My brain relaxed, I switched back to my right hand, and was able to proceed unimpeded. I am calling that a single.

So I think I am off to bed. I am way too tired to write a blog piece tonight, so you will just have to do without. I am just too tired to type it up. Sorry.


----------



## Newfounlandwood

Ecocandle said:


> *Too Tired to Type*
> 
> 
> 
> I like my job. I like it every day. Today was the sprinkles on top of a double chocolate cup cake. If every day is good, then aren't they all the same, and by definition average. Well today, wasn't average, it was good with sprinkles. I woke up and from the moment I started zipping around the World Wide Web, it just seemed that things were getting done. And they were. It wore me out.
> 
> I can't describe how tired I am. I am sure there is a measurement, some sort of meter or barometer, where one can put into context the level of tired, but I don't know what it is, and even if I did, it is probably part of the metric system. We Americans aren't allowed to use the metric system, with it's incredibly rational set up. I just know that on a scale of 1 to 37, 37 being more tired than a cliché that has been beaten to death, I am at a solid 36.3.
> 
> I watched a movie tonight, which I rented from the local C Store. The C Store, is Martelle's gas station and convenience store. The movie du jour, 'Up in the Air', with George Clooney, Jason Bateman, and other actors, who I am too tired to remember and list. It was enjoyable. The movie isn't due back until tomorrow by 5 pm, and since I am so exhausted, I decided I better do it now, because waiting until tomorrow, when I was rested, didn't cross my mind.
> 
> I returned the video. I sat in my car, for a length of time, which might be considered uncomfortable. Finally after a long period of considering something, something poignant I am sure, I started the car and drove to Mt. Vernon. It is 9 miles from Martelle, unless you are going to the one near DC, then it is further. The night was foggy. The sort of fog that makes one want to be home and in bed, so I just had to take a drive.
> 
> I thought about this little town, in Kansas, north of the Oklahoma pan handle, by about 100 miles. I thought about coming over the hill, looking down into the valley, and seeing the tiny town of about 30 houses. I remembered the wheat, not yet harvested, but ready. I thought about the time of day, about 2 hours before sunset. As I drove down that long slow valley, I wished I had my camera. I knew that I would be coming back down this road in ninety minutes or so, and the sun would light the wheat fields up with an angelic glow. The red stone church, with its spire reaching for heaven, would surely sing at the beauty. It was such an amazing church, for such a little town.
> 
> I thought about this place, this photograph stored in my mind, as I drove through the fog, from one gas station, to another. I filled my tank up in Mt. Vernon, and turned around and came back. I thought about how tired I was, on the way home, and that I wished I had a 15 hour drive ahead of me. I would love to pull over to a rest stop for a nap. Long drives are a joy. Being alone with one's thoughts, the miles ahead, too many to count, it is peaceful like few places on earth. I wished I was on such a journey.
> 
> When I read Jack Kerouac's, 'On The Road', twenty years ago, I was overtaken with a wanderlust. It has never left me. Everyone says they love to travel, and maybe they do. Few actually make it a point to see all the places that fill their minds and hearts wonder. Sean Nobel does as does my friend Bryce Miller. They often travel together. They walk the walk that is for sure. Me, I don't so much.
> 
> So tonight I thought about places I have been and places I would like to go. I gave woodworking very little thought, except the bit about figuring out chip carving. If you stopped in yesterday, you will know that I was trying to figure out chip carving. I have a DVD, and despite the cheesy music, was nearly prepared to begin, when old age, and uneven lines stopped me in my tracks. I did eventually get some good lines, but that turned out to be just the beginning of my problems. I spent at least 35 minutes trying to figure out how he was holding the knife and making the cuts. I kept replaying it, checking my grip, and I could not get in position to do what he was describing. It was as if I was being thrown curve ball after curve ball, and I just kept missing.
> 
> After many attempts I realized the problem. The sneaky guy on the video was left handed. I switched hands, made a few cuts. My brain relaxed, I switched back to my right hand, and was able to proceed unimpeded. I am calling that a single.
> 
> So I think I am off to bed. I am way too tired to write a blog piece tonight, so you will just have to do without. I am just too tired to type it up. Sorry.


You never wrote a blog like you never went for a ride. That was a blog entry in my books. I love Kerouac, my quote below is Kerouac. I must have read On The Road about 15 times in my short life.

Dennis


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Too Tired to Type*
> 
> 
> 
> I like my job. I like it every day. Today was the sprinkles on top of a double chocolate cup cake. If every day is good, then aren't they all the same, and by definition average. Well today, wasn't average, it was good with sprinkles. I woke up and from the moment I started zipping around the World Wide Web, it just seemed that things were getting done. And they were. It wore me out.
> 
> I can't describe how tired I am. I am sure there is a measurement, some sort of meter or barometer, where one can put into context the level of tired, but I don't know what it is, and even if I did, it is probably part of the metric system. We Americans aren't allowed to use the metric system, with it's incredibly rational set up. I just know that on a scale of 1 to 37, 37 being more tired than a cliché that has been beaten to death, I am at a solid 36.3.
> 
> I watched a movie tonight, which I rented from the local C Store. The C Store, is Martelle's gas station and convenience store. The movie du jour, 'Up in the Air', with George Clooney, Jason Bateman, and other actors, who I am too tired to remember and list. It was enjoyable. The movie isn't due back until tomorrow by 5 pm, and since I am so exhausted, I decided I better do it now, because waiting until tomorrow, when I was rested, didn't cross my mind.
> 
> I returned the video. I sat in my car, for a length of time, which might be considered uncomfortable. Finally after a long period of considering something, something poignant I am sure, I started the car and drove to Mt. Vernon. It is 9 miles from Martelle, unless you are going to the one near DC, then it is further. The night was foggy. The sort of fog that makes one want to be home and in bed, so I just had to take a drive.
> 
> I thought about this little town, in Kansas, north of the Oklahoma pan handle, by about 100 miles. I thought about coming over the hill, looking down into the valley, and seeing the tiny town of about 30 houses. I remembered the wheat, not yet harvested, but ready. I thought about the time of day, about 2 hours before sunset. As I drove down that long slow valley, I wished I had my camera. I knew that I would be coming back down this road in ninety minutes or so, and the sun would light the wheat fields up with an angelic glow. The red stone church, with its spire reaching for heaven, would surely sing at the beauty. It was such an amazing church, for such a little town.
> 
> I thought about this place, this photograph stored in my mind, as I drove through the fog, from one gas station, to another. I filled my tank up in Mt. Vernon, and turned around and came back. I thought about how tired I was, on the way home, and that I wished I had a 15 hour drive ahead of me. I would love to pull over to a rest stop for a nap. Long drives are a joy. Being alone with one's thoughts, the miles ahead, too many to count, it is peaceful like few places on earth. I wished I was on such a journey.
> 
> When I read Jack Kerouac's, 'On The Road', twenty years ago, I was overtaken with a wanderlust. It has never left me. Everyone says they love to travel, and maybe they do. Few actually make it a point to see all the places that fill their minds and hearts wonder. Sean Nobel does as does my friend Bryce Miller. They often travel together. They walk the walk that is for sure. Me, I don't so much.
> 
> So tonight I thought about places I have been and places I would like to go. I gave woodworking very little thought, except the bit about figuring out chip carving. If you stopped in yesterday, you will know that I was trying to figure out chip carving. I have a DVD, and despite the cheesy music, was nearly prepared to begin, when old age, and uneven lines stopped me in my tracks. I did eventually get some good lines, but that turned out to be just the beginning of my problems. I spent at least 35 minutes trying to figure out how he was holding the knife and making the cuts. I kept replaying it, checking my grip, and I could not get in position to do what he was describing. It was as if I was being thrown curve ball after curve ball, and I just kept missing.
> 
> After many attempts I realized the problem. The sneaky guy on the video was left handed. I switched hands, made a few cuts. My brain relaxed, I switched back to my right hand, and was able to proceed unimpeded. I am calling that a single.
> 
> So I think I am off to bed. I am way too tired to write a blog piece tonight, so you will just have to do without. I am just too tired to type it up. Sorry.


Long naps are good even when you're not that tired. My personal best is twenty two out of twenty four.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Too Tired to Type*
> 
> 
> 
> I like my job. I like it every day. Today was the sprinkles on top of a double chocolate cup cake. If every day is good, then aren't they all the same, and by definition average. Well today, wasn't average, it was good with sprinkles. I woke up and from the moment I started zipping around the World Wide Web, it just seemed that things were getting done. And they were. It wore me out.
> 
> I can't describe how tired I am. I am sure there is a measurement, some sort of meter or barometer, where one can put into context the level of tired, but I don't know what it is, and even if I did, it is probably part of the metric system. We Americans aren't allowed to use the metric system, with it's incredibly rational set up. I just know that on a scale of 1 to 37, 37 being more tired than a cliché that has been beaten to death, I am at a solid 36.3.
> 
> I watched a movie tonight, which I rented from the local C Store. The C Store, is Martelle's gas station and convenience store. The movie du jour, 'Up in the Air', with George Clooney, Jason Bateman, and other actors, who I am too tired to remember and list. It was enjoyable. The movie isn't due back until tomorrow by 5 pm, and since I am so exhausted, I decided I better do it now, because waiting until tomorrow, when I was rested, didn't cross my mind.
> 
> I returned the video. I sat in my car, for a length of time, which might be considered uncomfortable. Finally after a long period of considering something, something poignant I am sure, I started the car and drove to Mt. Vernon. It is 9 miles from Martelle, unless you are going to the one near DC, then it is further. The night was foggy. The sort of fog that makes one want to be home and in bed, so I just had to take a drive.
> 
> I thought about this little town, in Kansas, north of the Oklahoma pan handle, by about 100 miles. I thought about coming over the hill, looking down into the valley, and seeing the tiny town of about 30 houses. I remembered the wheat, not yet harvested, but ready. I thought about the time of day, about 2 hours before sunset. As I drove down that long slow valley, I wished I had my camera. I knew that I would be coming back down this road in ninety minutes or so, and the sun would light the wheat fields up with an angelic glow. The red stone church, with its spire reaching for heaven, would surely sing at the beauty. It was such an amazing church, for such a little town.
> 
> I thought about this place, this photograph stored in my mind, as I drove through the fog, from one gas station, to another. I filled my tank up in Mt. Vernon, and turned around and came back. I thought about how tired I was, on the way home, and that I wished I had a 15 hour drive ahead of me. I would love to pull over to a rest stop for a nap. Long drives are a joy. Being alone with one's thoughts, the miles ahead, too many to count, it is peaceful like few places on earth. I wished I was on such a journey.
> 
> When I read Jack Kerouac's, 'On The Road', twenty years ago, I was overtaken with a wanderlust. It has never left me. Everyone says they love to travel, and maybe they do. Few actually make it a point to see all the places that fill their minds and hearts wonder. Sean Nobel does as does my friend Bryce Miller. They often travel together. They walk the walk that is for sure. Me, I don't so much.
> 
> So tonight I thought about places I have been and places I would like to go. I gave woodworking very little thought, except the bit about figuring out chip carving. If you stopped in yesterday, you will know that I was trying to figure out chip carving. I have a DVD, and despite the cheesy music, was nearly prepared to begin, when old age, and uneven lines stopped me in my tracks. I did eventually get some good lines, but that turned out to be just the beginning of my problems. I spent at least 35 minutes trying to figure out how he was holding the knife and making the cuts. I kept replaying it, checking my grip, and I could not get in position to do what he was describing. It was as if I was being thrown curve ball after curve ball, and I just kept missing.
> 
> After many attempts I realized the problem. The sneaky guy on the video was left handed. I switched hands, made a few cuts. My brain relaxed, I switched back to my right hand, and was able to proceed unimpeded. I am calling that a single.
> 
> So I think I am off to bed. I am way too tired to write a blog piece tonight, so you will just have to do without. I am just too tired to type it up. Sorry.


Newfounlandwood,

Well then I am counting it as a blog entry. 

Outputter,

You are a great napper. A true legend of the game.

Brian


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Too Tired to Type*
> 
> 
> 
> I like my job. I like it every day. Today was the sprinkles on top of a double chocolate cup cake. If every day is good, then aren't they all the same, and by definition average. Well today, wasn't average, it was good with sprinkles. I woke up and from the moment I started zipping around the World Wide Web, it just seemed that things were getting done. And they were. It wore me out.
> 
> I can't describe how tired I am. I am sure there is a measurement, some sort of meter or barometer, where one can put into context the level of tired, but I don't know what it is, and even if I did, it is probably part of the metric system. We Americans aren't allowed to use the metric system, with it's incredibly rational set up. I just know that on a scale of 1 to 37, 37 being more tired than a cliché that has been beaten to death, I am at a solid 36.3.
> 
> I watched a movie tonight, which I rented from the local C Store. The C Store, is Martelle's gas station and convenience store. The movie du jour, 'Up in the Air', with George Clooney, Jason Bateman, and other actors, who I am too tired to remember and list. It was enjoyable. The movie isn't due back until tomorrow by 5 pm, and since I am so exhausted, I decided I better do it now, because waiting until tomorrow, when I was rested, didn't cross my mind.
> 
> I returned the video. I sat in my car, for a length of time, which might be considered uncomfortable. Finally after a long period of considering something, something poignant I am sure, I started the car and drove to Mt. Vernon. It is 9 miles from Martelle, unless you are going to the one near DC, then it is further. The night was foggy. The sort of fog that makes one want to be home and in bed, so I just had to take a drive.
> 
> I thought about this little town, in Kansas, north of the Oklahoma pan handle, by about 100 miles. I thought about coming over the hill, looking down into the valley, and seeing the tiny town of about 30 houses. I remembered the wheat, not yet harvested, but ready. I thought about the time of day, about 2 hours before sunset. As I drove down that long slow valley, I wished I had my camera. I knew that I would be coming back down this road in ninety minutes or so, and the sun would light the wheat fields up with an angelic glow. The red stone church, with its spire reaching for heaven, would surely sing at the beauty. It was such an amazing church, for such a little town.
> 
> I thought about this place, this photograph stored in my mind, as I drove through the fog, from one gas station, to another. I filled my tank up in Mt. Vernon, and turned around and came back. I thought about how tired I was, on the way home, and that I wished I had a 15 hour drive ahead of me. I would love to pull over to a rest stop for a nap. Long drives are a joy. Being alone with one's thoughts, the miles ahead, too many to count, it is peaceful like few places on earth. I wished I was on such a journey.
> 
> When I read Jack Kerouac's, 'On The Road', twenty years ago, I was overtaken with a wanderlust. It has never left me. Everyone says they love to travel, and maybe they do. Few actually make it a point to see all the places that fill their minds and hearts wonder. Sean Nobel does as does my friend Bryce Miller. They often travel together. They walk the walk that is for sure. Me, I don't so much.
> 
> So tonight I thought about places I have been and places I would like to go. I gave woodworking very little thought, except the bit about figuring out chip carving. If you stopped in yesterday, you will know that I was trying to figure out chip carving. I have a DVD, and despite the cheesy music, was nearly prepared to begin, when old age, and uneven lines stopped me in my tracks. I did eventually get some good lines, but that turned out to be just the beginning of my problems. I spent at least 35 minutes trying to figure out how he was holding the knife and making the cuts. I kept replaying it, checking my grip, and I could not get in position to do what he was describing. It was as if I was being thrown curve ball after curve ball, and I just kept missing.
> 
> After many attempts I realized the problem. The sneaky guy on the video was left handed. I switched hands, made a few cuts. My brain relaxed, I switched back to my right hand, and was able to proceed unimpeded. I am calling that a single.
> 
> So I think I am off to bed. I am way too tired to write a blog piece tonight, so you will just have to do without. I am just too tired to type it up. Sorry.


I enjoyed our travel and the beautiful photo of the field.
My mind is stuck on "unless you are going to the one near DC, then it is further" ... made me smile. Still smiling.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Plate Full of Success*



A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.

I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.

I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.



The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.

The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.



The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


You're making great progress! I am not sure about your question, but I can suggest making a practice part to ensure your mastery of the next step.


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


Hi Brian, you might find the video on setting up a plate on the link below to be of some help. It's for a Kreg plate, but the principal is the same.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


where is the link , mike ?


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


Not much help here either. Seems the scratch awl is the way to go to me.

Very nice Brian. This is one huge accomplishment with lots of challenges that were faced and met. Good job.

(I do wish you would cut off that ragged end. Or are you going to use those two long boards for something?)

Steve


----------



## GJP60

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


Nice Job,
I made my first router table about 10 years ago and my second is in production. I'll probably cut and route the holes for the insert in the next few days, but there is still trepidation even though I've done it before. In my case I've laminated the top with microdot formica and I really don't want to err. I won't trust the depth gauge on the miter. I'll use the thickness of the router plate to set the depth and then do some test cuts. I spent 4 years in Grinnell just down the road, go Pioneers.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


Reading instructions is a sign of either maturity or common sense, It usually takes more years than you have to reach this point in your development. Of course it appears that you have not been stalling, like many of us did, to avoid hearing "I told you so, You should have listened to me"


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


Nice job on the insert Brian. I will be feeling your pain starting next weekend when I pickup the lumber for my table. I already ordered the insert and the miter/t-tracks.

As far as reading instructions go - Each new tool purchase during the last year has been a full manual read before I even get started with them. You probably didn't get kicked out of the man's club for this one, I think you were actually welcomed in as a bonified member


----------



## mr_custom

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


You could try using transfer punches, pretty cheep from Harbor Freight. They are a set of many different sized pinches( one for each drill size) with a little center punch tip on each. When I discovered them I couldn't figure out how I lived without them for so many years. Don't hit them very hard on the plate as it may crack. One other suggestion is to photo copy the original router base plate and use that to make you screw hole centers .
Hope this helps you out
Mike


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


make sure to orient the router the way you want it to be ,
when chancing bits ,
or adjusting it .


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


Great suggestions everyone.

Steve, I will cut off both ends, to bring my table to 32". I plan on doing that last, as those bit sticking out have been very hand for clamping. I got the idea to leave the long parts on, from the Sam Maloof video. He did that with some of the more unwieldly parts of his chairs. I decided to give it a try with my table top, when I realized that I had that 6 inches of excess on a couple of the lengths. It has really been helpful.


----------



## webwood

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


way to go brian - i always try to think through every scenario before a cut - takes some time , but well worth it


----------



## mtkate

Ecocandle said:


> *A Plate Full of Success*
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of days ago I decided to take a few days off from my router table. The next step was to route out the edge that would hold the Rousseau router plate. Was there fear and trepidation in my little novice woodworker's heart? There certainly was! I knew that the slightest error in measuring or planning could result in a disaster that would reverberate throughout the greater metropolitan Martelle area. It would likely be worse than the Tunguska Blast of 1908, and could possibly cause pole reversal and ultimately global extinction. So it was natural for me to want to get in the right frame of mind.
> 
> I went and bought some two sided carpet tape from Ace Hardware in Mt. Vernon. Dave was very helpful. The people at Rousseau were nice enough to include instruction for how I should go about getting the edge routed. I read the instructions, something that I am not proud of, but it seems a necessity in woodworking. Actually it is much worse than that, I also dug out the instructions for my plunge router, and read those too. I have no doubt that I have lost a lot of respect from my male readers. I may not attend the 'guy' meetings for a while, just to let things blow over.
> 
> I was very careful to place marks where the edges of my boards were to rest. I have not used carpet tape before. It is very sticky. I wasn't sure if some of the adhesive would remain on the wood, and need to be cleaned off, so I chose to clamp the two longer pieces to the top, thus eliminating a good portion of the potential for tape residue. Once the long pieces were in place, I cut a couple of pieces of scrap wood with my Japanese hand saw. I know that I always talk about the Japanese hand saws, but it is because I love them. It seems that with each time I use them, I get a little bit better at making accurate cuts. So the scraps were cut. I stuck them to table top.
> 
> 
> 
> The scary part was quickly approaching. My instructions told me that I needed to make a cut of 3/16th of an inch. I made the decision to use my plunge router, because of the depth guide, and because I had yet to use it. I zeroed it out. Set it to 3/16th of an inch. The next fifteen minutes were spent checking and double checking the measurements. I did a practice run, without the power on, just to understand how I was going to proceed. Finally there weren't any more precautions I could think of, so I began.
> 
> The first lap around the opening was pleasantly easy. I expected it to go horribly wrong, but to my joy and amazement, it went smoothly. I checked the plate and the long cuts were perfect, but the short side was about 1/32nd of an inch too short. Also the depth wasn't quite as deep as it should be. This was just fine with me, as it is easier to cut more, than to deal with a depth that was too great. It only took me two more laps around and I ended up with a really nice fit. I am thrilled with how it turned out.
> 
> 
> 
> The plate fits. The next step is to figure out how to attach the router base to the plate. I am far more frightened of this step than the last one. I figured out how to attach the plate to the router base, using the Shop Fox template and the centering cone. But once I get the whole thing on there, I am completely stumped. Should I use some sort of awl to mark where I drill? It doesn't seem possible to drill the holes with the base attached. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Ok, time to get a snack and to go back downstairs and look at my success.


Wow, very impressive!


----------



## Ecocandle

*My Eureka Moment*



There is a Slovenian vocal choir group called Perpetuum Jazzile. They do a version of Toto's hit, 'Africa', which I find inspiring. Music causes me to stir the pot of my imagination. Music makes me want to grow, in all sorts of different ways. Obviously I would like to grow in a way yield a thicker head of hair, and it would certainly be nice to be a bit taller, but those don't seem to be options, so growing creatively will have to do. Actually, becoming more creative is probably better than having hair, though not as good as being tall, but I digress.

So tonight I have spent much of the evening listening to the music of my youth, and some from my oldth. There was some Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and Paul Simon. There was also a smattering of Avril Lavigne, Jimmy Eat World, and a bunch of Jack Johnson. I was not only trying to get my creative juices flowing, but I was also procrastinating. I had used an awl to mark the spots where the holes would need to be drilled in the Rousseau router table plate. The experiences I have had with drilling straight holes have been less than encouraging.

I listened and thought. I thought about creating a jig. I thought about waiting until I had a drill press. The overwhelming desire I had to precede eliminated waiting as an option. It was during the song 'Fox On The Run', by Sweet, that I started to think about how much I had improved with my hand saws. I have gotten pretty good at cutting straight, so I should be able to drill straight too, was my reasoning. The difference between the two though, is that when I am cutting I have the reflection in the blade of the saw to use as a guide for me visually. By making sure that the reflection and the board are straight and even, I am able to cut a straight line. It was then that I had my Eureka moment. The Rousseau router plate has a very shiny black surface.

I headed downstairs and drilled a pilot hole with the tiniest bit I had. It was suggested by the instruction writers at Rousseau that I do this, to prevent chip out. It worked marvelously. Next a large bit was put in the drill and the results were the same. I have drilled 4 holes that are quite lovely.

I have not yet purchased the recommended flat head screws. So I can't proceed any further tonight, but the part of the plate install that stressed me out the most, is over, so I am going to do some more sanding and start to think about how I will attach the table top to the legs.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *My Eureka Moment*
> 
> 
> 
> There is a Slovenian vocal choir group called Perpetuum Jazzile. They do a version of Toto's hit, 'Africa', which I find inspiring. Music causes me to stir the pot of my imagination. Music makes me want to grow, in all sorts of different ways. Obviously I would like to grow in a way yield a thicker head of hair, and it would certainly be nice to be a bit taller, but those don't seem to be options, so growing creatively will have to do. Actually, becoming more creative is probably better than having hair, though not as good as being tall, but I digress.
> 
> So tonight I have spent much of the evening listening to the music of my youth, and some from my oldth. There was some Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and Paul Simon. There was also a smattering of Avril Lavigne, Jimmy Eat World, and a bunch of Jack Johnson. I was not only trying to get my creative juices flowing, but I was also procrastinating. I had used an awl to mark the spots where the holes would need to be drilled in the Rousseau router table plate. The experiences I have had with drilling straight holes have been less than encouraging.
> 
> I listened and thought. I thought about creating a jig. I thought about waiting until I had a drill press. The overwhelming desire I had to precede eliminated waiting as an option. It was during the song 'Fox On The Run', by Sweet, that I started to think about how much I had improved with my hand saws. I have gotten pretty good at cutting straight, so I should be able to drill straight too, was my reasoning. The difference between the two though, is that when I am cutting I have the reflection in the blade of the saw to use as a guide for me visually. By making sure that the reflection and the board are straight and even, I am able to cut a straight line. It was then that I had my Eureka moment. The Rousseau router plate has a very shiny black surface.
> 
> I headed downstairs and drilled a pilot hole with the tiniest bit I had. It was suggested by the instruction writers at Rousseau that I do this, to prevent chip out. It worked marvelously. Next a large bit was put in the drill and the results were the same. I have drilled 4 holes that are quite lovely.
> 
> I have not yet purchased the recommended flat head screws. So I can't proceed any further tonight, but the part of the plate install that stressed me out the most, is over, so I am going to do some more sanding and start to think about how I will attach the table top to the legs.


Every project should be challenging, its how we learn. (that and by making mistakes)


----------



## jpw1995

Ecocandle said:


> *My Eureka Moment*
> 
> 
> 
> There is a Slovenian vocal choir group called Perpetuum Jazzile. They do a version of Toto's hit, 'Africa', which I find inspiring. Music causes me to stir the pot of my imagination. Music makes me want to grow, in all sorts of different ways. Obviously I would like to grow in a way yield a thicker head of hair, and it would certainly be nice to be a bit taller, but those don't seem to be options, so growing creatively will have to do. Actually, becoming more creative is probably better than having hair, though not as good as being tall, but I digress.
> 
> So tonight I have spent much of the evening listening to the music of my youth, and some from my oldth. There was some Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and Paul Simon. There was also a smattering of Avril Lavigne, Jimmy Eat World, and a bunch of Jack Johnson. I was not only trying to get my creative juices flowing, but I was also procrastinating. I had used an awl to mark the spots where the holes would need to be drilled in the Rousseau router table plate. The experiences I have had with drilling straight holes have been less than encouraging.
> 
> I listened and thought. I thought about creating a jig. I thought about waiting until I had a drill press. The overwhelming desire I had to precede eliminated waiting as an option. It was during the song 'Fox On The Run', by Sweet, that I started to think about how much I had improved with my hand saws. I have gotten pretty good at cutting straight, so I should be able to drill straight too, was my reasoning. The difference between the two though, is that when I am cutting I have the reflection in the blade of the saw to use as a guide for me visually. By making sure that the reflection and the board are straight and even, I am able to cut a straight line. It was then that I had my Eureka moment. The Rousseau router plate has a very shiny black surface.
> 
> I headed downstairs and drilled a pilot hole with the tiniest bit I had. It was suggested by the instruction writers at Rousseau that I do this, to prevent chip out. It worked marvelously. Next a large bit was put in the drill and the results were the same. I have drilled 4 holes that are quite lovely.
> 
> I have not yet purchased the recommended flat head screws. So I can't proceed any further tonight, but the part of the plate install that stressed me out the most, is over, so I am going to do some more sanding and start to think about how I will attach the table top to the legs.


Take it from me. If you were taller then a lot more people would ask you to get things off the top shelf that they can't reach. Are you sure you really want that?


----------



## Ecocandle

*Router Mounted Successfully*



The scary router table plate has been successfully drilled and connected to the router. Upon completion of this crucial step, there was a brief period of dancing. This of course was followed by 3 minutes of cheering from the imaginary crowd, and when the aforementioned crowd demanded a curtain call, I happily obliged.

Historically, when I have approached the end of a task, the last 10% seems to be a dreadful pain to complete. I can't say if I have reached the 90% complete mark, but I am filled with a level of router table building excitement, that could only be compared to the excitement felt by Columbus, when he discovered the capital of Ohio. After the cheering had subsided, I spent a couple of more hours of sanding. The edges were smoothed.

As is the tradition, after a good sanding, I like to sit down and watch my alma mater, the Ames High Little Cyclones, play in the 4A state high school basketball finals. At the half, the Little Cyclones lead S.E. Polk 29-20. After seventy five cents, the Little Cyclones lead S.E Polk 41 - 28. They are a mere 8 minutes away from winning their second consecutive state championship and allowing me to get back to working on my router table. I am sure they will try to hurry. For those of you, who don't follow Iowa high school basketball, Harrison Barnes, was the number one recruit in the nation. The Cyclones won, the final score was 47 -37. Ames has won 53 consecutive games, dating back to last year.

So now that the game is over, I can get back to work. The remaining steps include mounting the table top to the legs, building a fence, cutting off the ends and making them pretty, and installing the miter gauge track. I am having so much fun and am very eager to get back to work, so I apologize for the short post tonight.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Router Mounted Successfully*
> 
> 
> 
> The scary router table plate has been successfully drilled and connected to the router. Upon completion of this crucial step, there was a brief period of dancing. This of course was followed by 3 minutes of cheering from the imaginary crowd, and when the aforementioned crowd demanded a curtain call, I happily obliged.
> 
> Historically, when I have approached the end of a task, the last 10% seems to be a dreadful pain to complete. I can't say if I have reached the 90% complete mark, but I am filled with a level of router table building excitement, that could only be compared to the excitement felt by Columbus, when he discovered the capital of Ohio. After the cheering had subsided, I spent a couple of more hours of sanding. The edges were smoothed.
> 
> As is the tradition, after a good sanding, I like to sit down and watch my alma mater, the Ames High Little Cyclones, play in the 4A state high school basketball finals. At the half, the Little Cyclones lead S.E. Polk 29-20. After seventy five cents, the Little Cyclones lead S.E Polk 41 - 28. They are a mere 8 minutes away from winning their second consecutive state championship and allowing me to get back to working on my router table. I am sure they will try to hurry. For those of you, who don't follow Iowa high school basketball, Harrison Barnes, was the number one recruit in the nation. The Cyclones won, the final score was 47 -37. Ames has won 53 consecutive games, dating back to last year.
> 
> So now that the game is over, I can get back to work. The remaining steps include mounting the table top to the legs, building a fence, cutting off the ends and making them pretty, and installing the miter gauge track. I am having so much fun and am very eager to get back to work, so I apologize for the short post tonight.


I'm enjoying it too.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *Router Mounted Successfully*
> 
> 
> 
> The scary router table plate has been successfully drilled and connected to the router. Upon completion of this crucial step, there was a brief period of dancing. This of course was followed by 3 minutes of cheering from the imaginary crowd, and when the aforementioned crowd demanded a curtain call, I happily obliged.
> 
> Historically, when I have approached the end of a task, the last 10% seems to be a dreadful pain to complete. I can't say if I have reached the 90% complete mark, but I am filled with a level of router table building excitement, that could only be compared to the excitement felt by Columbus, when he discovered the capital of Ohio. After the cheering had subsided, I spent a couple of more hours of sanding. The edges were smoothed.
> 
> As is the tradition, after a good sanding, I like to sit down and watch my alma mater, the Ames High Little Cyclones, play in the 4A state high school basketball finals. At the half, the Little Cyclones lead S.E. Polk 29-20. After seventy five cents, the Little Cyclones lead S.E Polk 41 - 28. They are a mere 8 minutes away from winning their second consecutive state championship and allowing me to get back to working on my router table. I am sure they will try to hurry. For those of you, who don't follow Iowa high school basketball, Harrison Barnes, was the number one recruit in the nation. The Cyclones won, the final score was 47 -37. Ames has won 53 consecutive games, dating back to last year.
> 
> So now that the game is over, I can get back to work. The remaining steps include mounting the table top to the legs, building a fence, cutting off the ends and making them pretty, and installing the miter gauge track. I am having so much fun and am very eager to get back to work, so I apologize for the short post tonight.


I also, the blog not the game. (posted the table Fri. about 5 or 6 pages back now)


----------



## Ecocandle

*Hand Plane DVD Review*



I overheard a guy in the bar say that the temperature had hit 61 degrees. It was truly beautiful out today in Iowa and after I watched the Big Ten championship game, I took a walk. Mt. Vernon Iowa is a beautiful town and I strolled down to the Ace Hardware and bought some lag bolts. After that I just strolled around a bit, waiting for my laundry to finish drying. The first really nice day of the year is always a joy in Iowa. You might think that it would be a joy everywhere, but I don't think it is the same in states where the snow fall is minimal. Having lived in the greater DC area for the last 8 winters, I hadn't really experienced the spring euphoria, like I had today.

It is the drastic change that makes it so pleasant. To proceed on my woodworking journey, I decided to change my understanding of hand planes. I have read enough and seen so many people using them in videos that I was quite sure I wanted in on the fun. What I didn't know, was when one uses them, how one 'tunes' them, or which ones are the correct choice to start off with.

'Hand Planes in the Workshop' with Mario Rodriguez, published by Taunton Press, would be my teacher. Some of the videos from Taunton have been filmed 20 plus years ago, and they seem a bit dated, though the information is still valuable. This DVD was shot in 1996, and is of higher quality than the others which I have viewed. The content and delivery is spectacular.

Mario does a wonderful job of engaging the viewer. After the introduction, he introduces us to the smooth plane, more specifically the Stanley No. 4. He gives a detailed description of the parts and how they go together. I can't really put into words how well he does at teaching, it is quite remarkable. The presentation is not at all dry, and actually got me fired up for getting my first hand plane.

It reminded me of a time, a few years back, when I sat in on my father's class. Dad teaches TOC, in the Industrial Engineering Department, at Iowa State University. He was teaching a two week class, that ran all day Monday through Friday. Growing up, I had been taught a lot of math from dad, as he has a Masters degree in mathematics, from The Ohio State University, who won the Big Ten basketball title today. He also has a PhD in Industrial Engineering, but I can't recall needing any insight into IE during my days at Ames High. So there I was, watching dad teach a class of around 20 people. He was really good. Now I suspected that he was pretty good at teaching, because he had given me the math prowess that I know possess, but to see him in action, was exciting. He got it. He understood how to teach in a way that made one want to listen. Mario does too.

After talking a bit about the No. 4 Stanley and how it goes together, he showed the viewer how to use it. He discusses common problems and what causes them and even describes the sound it should make and what one will hear when they are planning against the grain. His explanation of how to read the grain made complete sense to me. I have read that it can be hard to read grain sometimes, and maybe it can, but now I feel I have a basic understanding that will help me in most cases.

In chapter 3, he says, "making silky shavings is easy to me, because I have been doing it for so long. But planning is not intuitive, there are techniques to tuning, using and setting up a plane, that have to be learned." His friend Tom comes over to learn about hand planes. This is a brilliant portion of the video, as he watches Tom, comments on his stance and technique, and then explains to Tom how to do it right. This makes watching and learning feel much more inviting than were Tom not there.

The following chapter is on tuning up a plane, a subject which has prevented me from making my first purchase. I have been afraid of this step even though they say that the Lie Nielson planes, need very little tuning and can be used right out of the box. My worry has been that if I do need to do 'slight' tuning, I will mess up my new plane. I don't feel that way now. This video, and particularly chapter 4, is a resource that I will be able to go back to whenever I need a refresher, and I am confident will get me good results.

Some of the other chapters cover jointer planes, block planes and shoulder planes. These four make up the essential planes that Mario believes one should use, in combination with power tools, to get the best results in our pursuit of quality woodworking. He not only shows us how to use them, he gives many examples of times where the hand plane is the perfect tool for the job. If I had monetized my blog, I would recommend that everyone click on the link and buy it now, but since I haven't, I would recommend that everyone think about buying this video for a while, until I have monetized my blog. In all seriousness though, if considering hand planes as an addition to your shop, this video will be well worth the money.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane DVD Review*
> 
> 
> 
> I overheard a guy in the bar say that the temperature had hit 61 degrees. It was truly beautiful out today in Iowa and after I watched the Big Ten championship game, I took a walk. Mt. Vernon Iowa is a beautiful town and I strolled down to the Ace Hardware and bought some lag bolts. After that I just strolled around a bit, waiting for my laundry to finish drying. The first really nice day of the year is always a joy in Iowa. You might think that it would be a joy everywhere, but I don't think it is the same in states where the snow fall is minimal. Having lived in the greater DC area for the last 8 winters, I hadn't really experienced the spring euphoria, like I had today.
> 
> It is the drastic change that makes it so pleasant. To proceed on my woodworking journey, I decided to change my understanding of hand planes. I have read enough and seen so many people using them in videos that I was quite sure I wanted in on the fun. What I didn't know, was when one uses them, how one 'tunes' them, or which ones are the correct choice to start off with.
> 
> 'Hand Planes in the Workshop' with Mario Rodriguez, published by Taunton Press, would be my teacher. Some of the videos from Taunton have been filmed 20 plus years ago, and they seem a bit dated, though the information is still valuable. This DVD was shot in 1996, and is of higher quality than the others which I have viewed. The content and delivery is spectacular.
> 
> Mario does a wonderful job of engaging the viewer. After the introduction, he introduces us to the smooth plane, more specifically the Stanley No. 4. He gives a detailed description of the parts and how they go together. I can't really put into words how well he does at teaching, it is quite remarkable. The presentation is not at all dry, and actually got me fired up for getting my first hand plane.
> 
> It reminded me of a time, a few years back, when I sat in on my father's class. Dad teaches TOC, in the Industrial Engineering Department, at Iowa State University. He was teaching a two week class, that ran all day Monday through Friday. Growing up, I had been taught a lot of math from dad, as he has a Masters degree in mathematics, from The Ohio State University, who won the Big Ten basketball title today. He also has a PhD in Industrial Engineering, but I can't recall needing any insight into IE during my days at Ames High. So there I was, watching dad teach a class of around 20 people. He was really good. Now I suspected that he was pretty good at teaching, because he had given me the math prowess that I know possess, but to see him in action, was exciting. He got it. He understood how to teach in a way that made one want to listen. Mario does too.
> 
> After talking a bit about the No. 4 Stanley and how it goes together, he showed the viewer how to use it. He discusses common problems and what causes them and even describes the sound it should make and what one will hear when they are planning against the grain. His explanation of how to read the grain made complete sense to me. I have read that it can be hard to read grain sometimes, and maybe it can, but now I feel I have a basic understanding that will help me in most cases.
> 
> In chapter 3, he says, "making silky shavings is easy to me, because I have been doing it for so long. But planning is not intuitive, there are techniques to tuning, using and setting up a plane, that have to be learned." His friend Tom comes over to learn about hand planes. This is a brilliant portion of the video, as he watches Tom, comments on his stance and technique, and then explains to Tom how to do it right. This makes watching and learning feel much more inviting than were Tom not there.
> 
> The following chapter is on tuning up a plane, a subject which has prevented me from making my first purchase. I have been afraid of this step even though they say that the Lie Nielson planes, need very little tuning and can be used right out of the box. My worry has been that if I do need to do 'slight' tuning, I will mess up my new plane. I don't feel that way now. This video, and particularly chapter 4, is a resource that I will be able to go back to whenever I need a refresher, and I am confident will get me good results.
> 
> Some of the other chapters cover jointer planes, block planes and shoulder planes. These four make up the essential planes that Mario believes one should use, in combination with power tools, to get the best results in our pursuit of quality woodworking. He not only shows us how to use them, he gives many examples of times where the hand plane is the perfect tool for the job. If I had monetized my blog, I would recommend that everyone click on the link and buy it now, but since I haven't, I would recommend that everyone think about buying this video for a while, until I have monetized my blog. In all seriousness though, if considering hand planes as an addition to your shop, this video will be well worth the money.


Have you considered putting this in the "Reviews" section of LJ? You do such a wonderful job of describing the content and you would be reaching an audience on LJs that doesn't read all the blogs.

Best,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane DVD Review*
> 
> 
> 
> I overheard a guy in the bar say that the temperature had hit 61 degrees. It was truly beautiful out today in Iowa and after I watched the Big Ten championship game, I took a walk. Mt. Vernon Iowa is a beautiful town and I strolled down to the Ace Hardware and bought some lag bolts. After that I just strolled around a bit, waiting for my laundry to finish drying. The first really nice day of the year is always a joy in Iowa. You might think that it would be a joy everywhere, but I don't think it is the same in states where the snow fall is minimal. Having lived in the greater DC area for the last 8 winters, I hadn't really experienced the spring euphoria, like I had today.
> 
> It is the drastic change that makes it so pleasant. To proceed on my woodworking journey, I decided to change my understanding of hand planes. I have read enough and seen so many people using them in videos that I was quite sure I wanted in on the fun. What I didn't know, was when one uses them, how one 'tunes' them, or which ones are the correct choice to start off with.
> 
> 'Hand Planes in the Workshop' with Mario Rodriguez, published by Taunton Press, would be my teacher. Some of the videos from Taunton have been filmed 20 plus years ago, and they seem a bit dated, though the information is still valuable. This DVD was shot in 1996, and is of higher quality than the others which I have viewed. The content and delivery is spectacular.
> 
> Mario does a wonderful job of engaging the viewer. After the introduction, he introduces us to the smooth plane, more specifically the Stanley No. 4. He gives a detailed description of the parts and how they go together. I can't really put into words how well he does at teaching, it is quite remarkable. The presentation is not at all dry, and actually got me fired up for getting my first hand plane.
> 
> It reminded me of a time, a few years back, when I sat in on my father's class. Dad teaches TOC, in the Industrial Engineering Department, at Iowa State University. He was teaching a two week class, that ran all day Monday through Friday. Growing up, I had been taught a lot of math from dad, as he has a Masters degree in mathematics, from The Ohio State University, who won the Big Ten basketball title today. He also has a PhD in Industrial Engineering, but I can't recall needing any insight into IE during my days at Ames High. So there I was, watching dad teach a class of around 20 people. He was really good. Now I suspected that he was pretty good at teaching, because he had given me the math prowess that I know possess, but to see him in action, was exciting. He got it. He understood how to teach in a way that made one want to listen. Mario does too.
> 
> After talking a bit about the No. 4 Stanley and how it goes together, he showed the viewer how to use it. He discusses common problems and what causes them and even describes the sound it should make and what one will hear when they are planning against the grain. His explanation of how to read the grain made complete sense to me. I have read that it can be hard to read grain sometimes, and maybe it can, but now I feel I have a basic understanding that will help me in most cases.
> 
> In chapter 3, he says, "making silky shavings is easy to me, because I have been doing it for so long. But planning is not intuitive, there are techniques to tuning, using and setting up a plane, that have to be learned." His friend Tom comes over to learn about hand planes. This is a brilliant portion of the video, as he watches Tom, comments on his stance and technique, and then explains to Tom how to do it right. This makes watching and learning feel much more inviting than were Tom not there.
> 
> The following chapter is on tuning up a plane, a subject which has prevented me from making my first purchase. I have been afraid of this step even though they say that the Lie Nielson planes, need very little tuning and can be used right out of the box. My worry has been that if I do need to do 'slight' tuning, I will mess up my new plane. I don't feel that way now. This video, and particularly chapter 4, is a resource that I will be able to go back to whenever I need a refresher, and I am confident will get me good results.
> 
> Some of the other chapters cover jointer planes, block planes and shoulder planes. These four make up the essential planes that Mario believes one should use, in combination with power tools, to get the best results in our pursuit of quality woodworking. He not only shows us how to use them, he gives many examples of times where the hand plane is the perfect tool for the job. If I had monetized my blog, I would recommend that everyone click on the link and buy it now, but since I haven't, I would recommend that everyone think about buying this video for a while, until I have monetized my blog. In all seriousness though, if considering hand planes as an addition to your shop, this video will be well worth the money.


Jim,

Thanks for the kind words. If people don't read the blogs, well they are just going to miss out on all the fun. Plus, right now, I am posting this to here, my blog, my new domain. It is taking a ton of time.

Brian


----------



## JohnnyW

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane DVD Review*
> 
> 
> 
> I overheard a guy in the bar say that the temperature had hit 61 degrees. It was truly beautiful out today in Iowa and after I watched the Big Ten championship game, I took a walk. Mt. Vernon Iowa is a beautiful town and I strolled down to the Ace Hardware and bought some lag bolts. After that I just strolled around a bit, waiting for my laundry to finish drying. The first really nice day of the year is always a joy in Iowa. You might think that it would be a joy everywhere, but I don't think it is the same in states where the snow fall is minimal. Having lived in the greater DC area for the last 8 winters, I hadn't really experienced the spring euphoria, like I had today.
> 
> It is the drastic change that makes it so pleasant. To proceed on my woodworking journey, I decided to change my understanding of hand planes. I have read enough and seen so many people using them in videos that I was quite sure I wanted in on the fun. What I didn't know, was when one uses them, how one 'tunes' them, or which ones are the correct choice to start off with.
> 
> 'Hand Planes in the Workshop' with Mario Rodriguez, published by Taunton Press, would be my teacher. Some of the videos from Taunton have been filmed 20 plus years ago, and they seem a bit dated, though the information is still valuable. This DVD was shot in 1996, and is of higher quality than the others which I have viewed. The content and delivery is spectacular.
> 
> Mario does a wonderful job of engaging the viewer. After the introduction, he introduces us to the smooth plane, more specifically the Stanley No. 4. He gives a detailed description of the parts and how they go together. I can't really put into words how well he does at teaching, it is quite remarkable. The presentation is not at all dry, and actually got me fired up for getting my first hand plane.
> 
> It reminded me of a time, a few years back, when I sat in on my father's class. Dad teaches TOC, in the Industrial Engineering Department, at Iowa State University. He was teaching a two week class, that ran all day Monday through Friday. Growing up, I had been taught a lot of math from dad, as he has a Masters degree in mathematics, from The Ohio State University, who won the Big Ten basketball title today. He also has a PhD in Industrial Engineering, but I can't recall needing any insight into IE during my days at Ames High. So there I was, watching dad teach a class of around 20 people. He was really good. Now I suspected that he was pretty good at teaching, because he had given me the math prowess that I know possess, but to see him in action, was exciting. He got it. He understood how to teach in a way that made one want to listen. Mario does too.
> 
> After talking a bit about the No. 4 Stanley and how it goes together, he showed the viewer how to use it. He discusses common problems and what causes them and even describes the sound it should make and what one will hear when they are planning against the grain. His explanation of how to read the grain made complete sense to me. I have read that it can be hard to read grain sometimes, and maybe it can, but now I feel I have a basic understanding that will help me in most cases.
> 
> In chapter 3, he says, "making silky shavings is easy to me, because I have been doing it for so long. But planning is not intuitive, there are techniques to tuning, using and setting up a plane, that have to be learned." His friend Tom comes over to learn about hand planes. This is a brilliant portion of the video, as he watches Tom, comments on his stance and technique, and then explains to Tom how to do it right. This makes watching and learning feel much more inviting than were Tom not there.
> 
> The following chapter is on tuning up a plane, a subject which has prevented me from making my first purchase. I have been afraid of this step even though they say that the Lie Nielson planes, need very little tuning and can be used right out of the box. My worry has been that if I do need to do 'slight' tuning, I will mess up my new plane. I don't feel that way now. This video, and particularly chapter 4, is a resource that I will be able to go back to whenever I need a refresher, and I am confident will get me good results.
> 
> Some of the other chapters cover jointer planes, block planes and shoulder planes. These four make up the essential planes that Mario believes one should use, in combination with power tools, to get the best results in our pursuit of quality woodworking. He not only shows us how to use them, he gives many examples of times where the hand plane is the perfect tool for the job. If I had monetized my blog, I would recommend that everyone click on the link and buy it now, but since I haven't, I would recommend that everyone think about buying this video for a while, until I have monetized my blog. In all seriousness though, if considering hand planes as an addition to your shop, this video will be well worth the money.


For even further inspiration you could pick up a copy of "The Handplane Book" by Garrett Hack. I've just finished reading it and it was enlightening to see the quality and variation of work that can be achieved. It's also a great reference to come back to time and again.


----------



## Fireball

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane DVD Review*
> 
> 
> 
> I overheard a guy in the bar say that the temperature had hit 61 degrees. It was truly beautiful out today in Iowa and after I watched the Big Ten championship game, I took a walk. Mt. Vernon Iowa is a beautiful town and I strolled down to the Ace Hardware and bought some lag bolts. After that I just strolled around a bit, waiting for my laundry to finish drying. The first really nice day of the year is always a joy in Iowa. You might think that it would be a joy everywhere, but I don't think it is the same in states where the snow fall is minimal. Having lived in the greater DC area for the last 8 winters, I hadn't really experienced the spring euphoria, like I had today.
> 
> It is the drastic change that makes it so pleasant. To proceed on my woodworking journey, I decided to change my understanding of hand planes. I have read enough and seen so many people using them in videos that I was quite sure I wanted in on the fun. What I didn't know, was when one uses them, how one 'tunes' them, or which ones are the correct choice to start off with.
> 
> 'Hand Planes in the Workshop' with Mario Rodriguez, published by Taunton Press, would be my teacher. Some of the videos from Taunton have been filmed 20 plus years ago, and they seem a bit dated, though the information is still valuable. This DVD was shot in 1996, and is of higher quality than the others which I have viewed. The content and delivery is spectacular.
> 
> Mario does a wonderful job of engaging the viewer. After the introduction, he introduces us to the smooth plane, more specifically the Stanley No. 4. He gives a detailed description of the parts and how they go together. I can't really put into words how well he does at teaching, it is quite remarkable. The presentation is not at all dry, and actually got me fired up for getting my first hand plane.
> 
> It reminded me of a time, a few years back, when I sat in on my father's class. Dad teaches TOC, in the Industrial Engineering Department, at Iowa State University. He was teaching a two week class, that ran all day Monday through Friday. Growing up, I had been taught a lot of math from dad, as he has a Masters degree in mathematics, from The Ohio State University, who won the Big Ten basketball title today. He also has a PhD in Industrial Engineering, but I can't recall needing any insight into IE during my days at Ames High. So there I was, watching dad teach a class of around 20 people. He was really good. Now I suspected that he was pretty good at teaching, because he had given me the math prowess that I know possess, but to see him in action, was exciting. He got it. He understood how to teach in a way that made one want to listen. Mario does too.
> 
> After talking a bit about the No. 4 Stanley and how it goes together, he showed the viewer how to use it. He discusses common problems and what causes them and even describes the sound it should make and what one will hear when they are planning against the grain. His explanation of how to read the grain made complete sense to me. I have read that it can be hard to read grain sometimes, and maybe it can, but now I feel I have a basic understanding that will help me in most cases.
> 
> In chapter 3, he says, "making silky shavings is easy to me, because I have been doing it for so long. But planning is not intuitive, there are techniques to tuning, using and setting up a plane, that have to be learned." His friend Tom comes over to learn about hand planes. This is a brilliant portion of the video, as he watches Tom, comments on his stance and technique, and then explains to Tom how to do it right. This makes watching and learning feel much more inviting than were Tom not there.
> 
> The following chapter is on tuning up a plane, a subject which has prevented me from making my first purchase. I have been afraid of this step even though they say that the Lie Nielson planes, need very little tuning and can be used right out of the box. My worry has been that if I do need to do 'slight' tuning, I will mess up my new plane. I don't feel that way now. This video, and particularly chapter 4, is a resource that I will be able to go back to whenever I need a refresher, and I am confident will get me good results.
> 
> Some of the other chapters cover jointer planes, block planes and shoulder planes. These four make up the essential planes that Mario believes one should use, in combination with power tools, to get the best results in our pursuit of quality woodworking. He not only shows us how to use them, he gives many examples of times where the hand plane is the perfect tool for the job. If I had monetized my blog, I would recommend that everyone click on the link and buy it now, but since I haven't, I would recommend that everyone think about buying this video for a while, until I have monetized my blog. In all seriousness though, if considering hand planes as an addition to your shop, this video will be well worth the money.


Nice post Brian - I did a week long woodworking class a year or so back at Dogwood Institute here in Atlanta and was initially hesitant because the schedule said that the first 2 days would be spent on sharpening. 2 whole days? Just in sharpening? Sounded boring! Not the case at all. We sharpened all of our chisels and hand plane irons and let me tell you how nice it is to have those things sharp!

Will look forward to seeing pictures of your first Lie Nelson plane.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Todays blog is actually titled...*



Hello Lumberjocks,

The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".

My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.

So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.

I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.

So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.

Sincerely,

Brian Meeks


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


Wow, only 1 in 5. As of the posting of this reply, I checked and only 25 of the 128 people who read this post decided it was worth reading the actual post. And only 1 comment.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


I think they thought you are lost to the darkside now


----------



## 280305

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


A funny thing happened on the way to your actual post. I came across a traveling purveyor of yarn, catnip and little furry folk.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


ChuckV,

That is a very good reason. I accept that.

Dennisgrosen,

Yes, I have my own domain. Is that the 'darkside'? Ok. Now I know.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


I think it was on a blog of Degoose sometime ago it came up 
the blog is about he was starting bloging on his own side or something like that


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


That is interesting. I didn't see that blog. I guess it is ok if people don't want to click through and read my musings, that is there right.

I am still going to enjoy writing about my journey.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


and I most say I like the most of it even thow there
is a lot of the hint´s I don´t catch becourse lack of skill
in translation and speciel I like mr. wooden the detective serie
thank´s for sharing you toughts with us
Dennis


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


Dear Brian

I really like reading your posts. Your style is fun and I can relate to my own challenges through the day. I know you will hate this which I am about to write, but its honest…I really like the posts with photos.


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


Nice short post LOL


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


Chelios,

I think that most people prefer the one's with photos. I try to do them as often as I am able. Sometimes I don't have the time to take them, and I try to do like I did with the photo for this post, use one from the stock photos I have taken. The photo in this post is actually one of my best sellers. I realize that sometimes I don't include a photo, and I will try to keep those posts to a minimum.

Dennisgrosen,

I am glad you are enjoying the blog. 

a1Jim,

I am not sure if you were kidding or not. Yesterday's post was over 1200 words, 1250 to be exact, not including the part I posted here. I ususally try to keep it under 1100.

Sincerely,

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


Brian
If I could write as well as you I might have post longer than 20 -40 words I usually have. I do have to admit I don't usually read longer post. It has nothing to do with do personally.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


Brian, your writing is a joy to read and I often look forward to your nightly posts. One thing I would ask you to keep in mind though, is that this site is a community. And the purpose of a community site is so that all the members can go there and check on each other without jumping to a bunch of other locations.

I can get on here and see if Mike (jockmike2) or Sam (Shakouri) turned out any new turnings, see how Charlies (Beginningwoodworker) is doing and if he made anything new for his mom, check out any new lessons on hinge building by Mike (stefang) or see if Neil (NBeener) is working on that pine workbench yet, as well as a host of other happenings with the Jocks here. To tell you the truth, I know more about the happenings with these guys and gals more than I know what is going on with most of my distant relatives.

If you don't get the traffic, it isn't a personal thing. It is just that your blog becomes something outside the neighborhood, so to speak, and the community feel is lost and one starts becoming an audience rather than a neighbor. Picture, if you will, hanging with a bunch of blue collars at the bar and then inviting one to the trendy bar across town where the college professors and students hang out. Sure, the guy likes your company, but he feels out of place, and wonders what is up with all these freaky nose piercings and this talk about "Theory of Constraints." This isn't a cut to you, your blogs have a more universal appeal and you should pursue the postings to your own site. I think you can ease the pressure on yourself a bit and commit to writing a blog everyday without having to post in all locations. Just make sure you stop by the neighborhood and share because we all want to know how you are progressing in your writing and your woodworking.

And just a little unsolicited advice on the writing front.

1. Always consider the reader 
2. It is the responsibility of the writer to get his writings to the reader and not the reader's responsibility to get to the writings.

I hope I didn't offend, as that was not my intent. I think you are a wonderful writer and I am glad you have a spot on the web to share your thoughts.

David


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


David,

I think you make a great point. It is ok and I completely understand that most people must feel like you do, and want to have all the conversations and such in one place.

I am going to miss all of you guys comments though. I really makes me sad, but I do understand. I still think you are all very nice, even if you don't want to read my stuff anymore. I appreciate all of the support.

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


What ? you quit LJs?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Todays blog is actually titled...*
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> The actual title is "The Footprints of My Words".
> 
> My friend is having a party tonight. I have decided to leave the secret undground bunker in Martelle and attend. As you may or may not know, I post my blog to 3 spots every day. Here, at blogspot, and my new domain extremelyaverage.com. It is a lot of work to update them each day, and eventually I want to just have the one, but I fear that my Lumberjock friend and their cats may not like the new location.
> 
> So tonight, in order to save a bit of time, and to get some feedback, the blog has been posted at extremelyaverage.com . I ask that you give it a look, let me know what you think, and if you are one of the regularly commenting people or cats, to try out commenting on my site. I am still figuring out this whole Wordpress thing, so the feedback would be lovely.
> 
> I am sure that my very clever readers will wonder if it took more time to write this non blog post blog post, than to just post the blog, and the answer is that yes, it took longer.
> 
> So if you wish to read today's blog, head on over to http://extremelyaverage.com , or click on the banner at the top of the page. If you are disgusted that I am too lazy to post tonights piece here, then I am sorry. Ok, off to eat some cookies and mingle with people in real time.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


No, I haven't quit LJs…I have just stopped reposting my blog here. I am still interested in all the stuff people are doing. It is just easier to put the blog in one place.


----------



## Ecocandle

*David Has a Great Point*

Hello All,

I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.

Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.

There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.

Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand. 

Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.

Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)

Brian Meeks
ExtremelyAverage.com


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


Will Harry Wood be found at extremelyaverage.com or will we have to wait for him to come out in hard cover and or a movie?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


Mr. Wood will be there. I haven't uploaded all the 'back episodes yet', but I will put that high on my priority list.

Also, I will try to get another 'episode' out soon.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


was it a faulty track ,
or a messed up grove ?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


It was a faulty router operator. The track was fine. The pictures show how I messed up my beautiful router table top, but alas, it will still work just fine.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


Don't confuse the number of comments with the number who read your blog. here at least you have a counter and to be counted the reader must have clicked on to read the entire posting to be counted. as oftime that I started this comment you were averaging one per minute.


----------



## Alonso83

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


Brian,

I saw your router table, it should work just fine, you are doing an excellent job, and I'm looking forward to keep looking at your progress as a woodworker, if you think that leaving LJ's is what is best for you I'll support you, but I will miss your daily night extremelyaverage blog….. I guess I should not worry about that since your website its already under my favorites tab.

Alonso


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


RTB,

That is an excellent point. I use Google Analytics to track the results for the website.  Before today, I was averaging about 50% of my total readers, were on Lumberjocks. Sadly, I am just getting too busy with my job to be posting to 3 spots. Tonights was much easier, because WordPress is starting to make sense to me.

I am still going to hang out here and read other people's stuff though. So you will see me around. If you have any good cat stories, you will just have to Direct Mail them to me. I do love hearing about your flock of felines….or is it pack? 

Brian


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


can you route it straight ,
and glue in a wider piece ,
then route the track grove again ?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


Patron,

I could do that! I hadn't cosidered that as an option. I may give it a try. Great idea.

Brian


----------



## stefang

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


I have enjoyed your woodworking progress and stories Brian. It is always interesting to see how a new woodworker faces the same challenges we experienced on our own journeys. Everyone has a little different approach and often we who have a bit more experience might not necessarily learn a new technique, but we might just learn a better way to address the new things we are learning. So you're newbie contributions are appreciated.

It seems you feel that a blog has to be done on a daily basis. This of course becomes an obligation and a lot of work to boot. My suggestion is that you continue with blogs here when you want to share something with us.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


Hey Brian, I will probably not click through. I don't know. There are many others here who post little teasers of their blogs and then tell us click through. I usually don't. I really like the community aspect here, and all its variety. I could just follow separate blogs elsewhere, but I have very few that I do.

I have really really enjoyed your posts. But it seems like some kind of challenge that you have given yourself to blog every day. Blogging seems to be at the top of your list. Just don't let that control your life unless you really want it to.

Keep in touch. I would like to follow your progress,
Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


Autumn,

Outputter has suggested that I leave a 'teaser' each day, just to let people know that the blog is up. I didn't do that yesterday, but it seems there are some people who are interested, so I think I will.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


Steve,

The question, 'Why do you need to blog every day?" Is one that has been asked before, and it is a good one. I am not sure the answer is very logical. I will do my best to explain my reasoning anyway.

The nature of my being is that I like to do things well. I spent one semester at college studying chess theory 8 - 10 hours a day, ironically, skipping classes to do so. It was my best semester too, mostly because my brain was so very sharp from the exercise it was getting. The blogging has had a similar affect on me. The self imposed pressure of doing the blog, making sure I get a couple of hours of woodworking in, and then an hour of photography and photoshop processing, each day has, for lack of a better term, 'raised my game'. It is similar to when one gets past the first few weeks of going to the gym, and they notice for the first time that they are actually making progress. The feeling is wonderful. 
In addition to the wonderful rush of having a well oiled brain, I feel like my writing skills are improving, because of the daily repetition of banging out 800 - 1200 words. One might ask what would be the harm in taking a day or two off. And there certainly wouldn't be any harm for most people, though I fear that it would quickly become a case of writing only once per week or month. There are days were it is easy to write the blog post, and days where I really struggle. It is the days where I am struggling, which would get skipped, and those are the most important ones. The times where it is really hard to get my thoughts down in an entertaining way, which makes me better.
So in summary, I blog every day, just to see if I can.

On a personal note, I appreciate all of the fine comments you have left in the past. There are plenty of fantastic things to read here daily, so I am not at all upset that you don't want to continue reading my blog. It has been great getting to know you a little bit.

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


FWIW, I agree with David's point about the Lumberjock community. Bear in mind that it's you who appear to be leaving us rather than the other way around. I don't think there's anyone here that doesn't wish you well except for that one feller who never really understood Mr. Wood. ; ) I think that type of support is scarce…

Best,
Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *David Has a Great Point*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some of the Lumberjock folks come over and check out my blog and at least one of the cats (Outputter). The comment that it was hard to leave comments was helpful. I didn't realize that I had the 'must be approved' bit turned on. That has been fixed.
> 
> Yesterday's little bit that asked people to click on the link had some great comments too. David had a wonderful point, explaining why people didn't want to click on the link. He explained that the Lumberjock community is just that a community, and it isn't the same to have to leave, via a click, to read someone's blog. I can completely understand this and I am sure there are lots of people, probably the majority who feel this way.
> 
> There was one comment that mentioned a preference for posts with pictures, and I agree with that 100%. I have not done as good a job of photographing my work of late. The photography portion usually adds an hour to the time it takes to get everything up, but I think it is worth it. I will try to do better, of course, I don't know if he is one of the people who will read my blog, but his suggestion was a great one regardless.
> 
> Lastly, I would like to say I really appreciate all the help and feedback I have received in the first 72 days of my journey. I am sorry and saddened that most of you aren't interested in reading my blog anymore. I will really miss your comments, but I completely understand.
> 
> Well I have to get back to my woodworking and the blog. Tonight I made a horrible blunder while routing the dado on my beautiful table top. I almost cried. I was installing the miter track and though it is in, it is marred, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks Again Everyone (And the cats too)
> 
> Brian Meeks
> ExtremelyAverage.com


Thanks Bill. I appreciate the wishes. 

I should note, I am not actually leaving, I am just not posting my blog here. I will still be around.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Outputter's Suggestion*

It was suggested by Outputter that I put a teaser up each day, and let people know that I have added a new post to my blog.

I was thinking about this today, and there are lots of people who have said that they aren't intersted in reading content outside of the community. This is fine with me. There have been some people that have come over to the new blog, so this is for them.

But it got me thinking, could I write a good enough teaser to get the likes of David or Spalm to click?

I am not sure if I can. Of course, there wouldn't be anyway for me to tell if I had succeeded, unless they admitted to the click through. It is almost like a challenge…hmmm…they seem like tough cookies, so it will take some thought. I am quite sure that both of them are way to clever to be tricked with promisses of super models who stopped over to help me with a glue up.

So I will not even try to tease them into clicking tonight…but let it be known, my creative juices are flowing and I will launch some sort of diabolical campaign soon…very soon.

Today's post, was mostly about me going on a bit of photography outing and taking a bunch of pretty pictures of the Meeks farm and surrounding areas, in rural Martelle.

This link is for anyone who would like to check out the blog.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/03/clean-air/

I have a double secret link, just for Spalm and David. http://bit.ly/by0htp If you aren't David or Spalm, paws off.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Outputter's Suggestion*
> 
> It was suggested by Outputter that I put a teaser up each day, and let people know that I have added a new post to my blog.
> 
> I was thinking about this today, and there are lots of people who have said that they aren't intersted in reading content outside of the community. This is fine with me. There have been some people that have come over to the new blog, so this is for them.
> 
> But it got me thinking, could I write a good enough teaser to get the likes of David or Spalm to click?
> 
> I am not sure if I can. Of course, there wouldn't be anyway for me to tell if I had succeeded, unless they admitted to the click through. It is almost like a challenge…hmmm…they seem like tough cookies, so it will take some thought. I am quite sure that both of them are way to clever to be tricked with promisses of super models who stopped over to help me with a glue up.
> 
> So I will not even try to tease them into clicking tonight…but let it be known, my creative juices are flowing and I will launch some sort of diabolical campaign soon…very soon.
> 
> Today's post, was mostly about me going on a bit of photography outing and taking a bunch of pretty pictures of the Meeks farm and surrounding areas, in rural Martelle.
> 
> This link is for anyone who would like to check out the blog.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/03/clean-air/
> 
> I have a double secret link, just for Spalm and David. http://bit.ly/by0htp If you aren't David or Spalm, paws off.


I take exception to the expression "curiosity killed the cat" but, subtract one, wink, wink.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Outputter's Suggestion*
> 
> It was suggested by Outputter that I put a teaser up each day, and let people know that I have added a new post to my blog.
> 
> I was thinking about this today, and there are lots of people who have said that they aren't intersted in reading content outside of the community. This is fine with me. There have been some people that have come over to the new blog, so this is for them.
> 
> But it got me thinking, could I write a good enough teaser to get the likes of David or Spalm to click?
> 
> I am not sure if I can. Of course, there wouldn't be anyway for me to tell if I had succeeded, unless they admitted to the click through. It is almost like a challenge…hmmm…they seem like tough cookies, so it will take some thought. I am quite sure that both of them are way to clever to be tricked with promisses of super models who stopped over to help me with a glue up.
> 
> So I will not even try to tease them into clicking tonight…but let it be known, my creative juices are flowing and I will launch some sort of diabolical campaign soon…very soon.
> 
> Today's post, was mostly about me going on a bit of photography outing and taking a bunch of pretty pictures of the Meeks farm and surrounding areas, in rural Martelle.
> 
> This link is for anyone who would like to check out the blog.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/03/clean-air/
> 
> I have a double secret link, just for Spalm and David. http://bit.ly/by0htp If you aren't David or Spalm, paws off.


Hi Brian.
Tease me once, shame on you. Tease me twice…..

Wow, my fifteen seconds of fame :>)

I clicked on the secret link from the email that I received from LJs regarding this post. In fact I clicked on it a dozen times in case you were counting. I clicked on this LJ post a dozen times in case you were counting there too. Funny that.

Nice to see you still are here and thriving.
You know where to find me.
I like your curiosity,
Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Outputter's Suggestion*
> 
> It was suggested by Outputter that I put a teaser up each day, and let people know that I have added a new post to my blog.
> 
> I was thinking about this today, and there are lots of people who have said that they aren't intersted in reading content outside of the community. This is fine with me. There have been some people that have come over to the new blog, so this is for them.
> 
> But it got me thinking, could I write a good enough teaser to get the likes of David or Spalm to click?
> 
> I am not sure if I can. Of course, there wouldn't be anyway for me to tell if I had succeeded, unless they admitted to the click through. It is almost like a challenge…hmmm…they seem like tough cookies, so it will take some thought. I am quite sure that both of them are way to clever to be tricked with promisses of super models who stopped over to help me with a glue up.
> 
> So I will not even try to tease them into clicking tonight…but let it be known, my creative juices are flowing and I will launch some sort of diabolical campaign soon…very soon.
> 
> Today's post, was mostly about me going on a bit of photography outing and taking a bunch of pretty pictures of the Meeks farm and surrounding areas, in rural Martelle.
> 
> This link is for anyone who would like to check out the blog.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/03/clean-air/
> 
> I have a double secret link, just for Spalm and David. http://bit.ly/by0htp If you aren't David or Spalm, paws off.


Steve,

LOL…That was great. I just checked the numbers and that link has been clicked 38 times. So you aren't the only one. I really chuckled at that. Well done.

Outputter,

I have subtracted one paw print of the 38. Obviously there were other's who couldn't resist. I am going to have to rethink my strategy regarding SPalm and David.

Brian


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Outputter's Suggestion*
> 
> It was suggested by Outputter that I put a teaser up each day, and let people know that I have added a new post to my blog.
> 
> I was thinking about this today, and there are lots of people who have said that they aren't intersted in reading content outside of the community. This is fine with me. There have been some people that have come over to the new blog, so this is for them.
> 
> But it got me thinking, could I write a good enough teaser to get the likes of David or Spalm to click?
> 
> I am not sure if I can. Of course, there wouldn't be anyway for me to tell if I had succeeded, unless they admitted to the click through. It is almost like a challenge…hmmm…they seem like tough cookies, so it will take some thought. I am quite sure that both of them are way to clever to be tricked with promisses of super models who stopped over to help me with a glue up.
> 
> So I will not even try to tease them into clicking tonight…but let it be known, my creative juices are flowing and I will launch some sort of diabolical campaign soon…very soon.
> 
> Today's post, was mostly about me going on a bit of photography outing and taking a bunch of pretty pictures of the Meeks farm and surrounding areas, in rural Martelle.
> 
> This link is for anyone who would like to check out the blog.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/03/clean-air/
> 
> I have a double secret link, just for Spalm and David. http://bit.ly/by0htp If you aren't David or Spalm, paws off.


Don't get hung on view counts. It will get in your head. Seriously. The web is weird.

The first blog I published at LJs now has 36,384 hits, and those are real. But who's counting.
http://lumberjocks.com/SPalm/blog/2248

Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Outputter's Suggestion*
> 
> It was suggested by Outputter that I put a teaser up each day, and let people know that I have added a new post to my blog.
> 
> I was thinking about this today, and there are lots of people who have said that they aren't intersted in reading content outside of the community. This is fine with me. There have been some people that have come over to the new blog, so this is for them.
> 
> But it got me thinking, could I write a good enough teaser to get the likes of David or Spalm to click?
> 
> I am not sure if I can. Of course, there wouldn't be anyway for me to tell if I had succeeded, unless they admitted to the click through. It is almost like a challenge…hmmm…they seem like tough cookies, so it will take some thought. I am quite sure that both of them are way to clever to be tricked with promisses of super models who stopped over to help me with a glue up.
> 
> So I will not even try to tease them into clicking tonight…but let it be known, my creative juices are flowing and I will launch some sort of diabolical campaign soon…very soon.
> 
> Today's post, was mostly about me going on a bit of photography outing and taking a bunch of pretty pictures of the Meeks farm and surrounding areas, in rural Martelle.
> 
> This link is for anyone who would like to check out the blog.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/03/clean-air/
> 
> I have a double secret link, just for Spalm and David. http://bit.ly/by0htp If you aren't David or Spalm, paws off.


There I just clicked enough times to get you t 36,400. I am not hung up on view counts, but it is fun to look.


----------



## SPalm

Ecocandle said:


> *Outputter's Suggestion*
> 
> It was suggested by Outputter that I put a teaser up each day, and let people know that I have added a new post to my blog.
> 
> I was thinking about this today, and there are lots of people who have said that they aren't intersted in reading content outside of the community. This is fine with me. There have been some people that have come over to the new blog, so this is for them.
> 
> But it got me thinking, could I write a good enough teaser to get the likes of David or Spalm to click?
> 
> I am not sure if I can. Of course, there wouldn't be anyway for me to tell if I had succeeded, unless they admitted to the click through. It is almost like a challenge…hmmm…they seem like tough cookies, so it will take some thought. I am quite sure that both of them are way to clever to be tricked with promisses of super models who stopped over to help me with a glue up.
> 
> So I will not even try to tease them into clicking tonight…but let it be known, my creative juices are flowing and I will launch some sort of diabolical campaign soon…very soon.
> 
> Today's post, was mostly about me going on a bit of photography outing and taking a bunch of pretty pictures of the Meeks farm and surrounding areas, in rural Martelle.
> 
> This link is for anyone who would like to check out the blog.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/03/clean-air/
> 
> I have a double secret link, just for Spalm and David. http://bit.ly/by0htp If you aren't David or Spalm, paws off.


Ouch.
I was not being cute. Those are real views. It was a big hit at http://www.stumbleupon.com/

It was a weird trip when they started rolling in. I did not know what was happening. It just went viral. Photobucket hosts my photos for that blog and I had to pay money for the expanded bandwidth.

I never brought this subject up here before, but it seemed like a good time. I was actually just trying to advise. My sarcasm gets me into trouble sometime.

Steve


----------



## Ecocandle

*I hate it when that happens...*

While blogging tonight…something killed a skunk outside…I can smell it inside. Ugh. I finished my blog, posted it and mention it here…I don't know if it is good or not, but I can say with confidence that it stinks less than my house.

http://bit.ly/aKKkD4

Ok, I am leaving for Des Moines. I don't even have time to try to trick David or SPalm into giving it a read.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *I hate it when that happens...*
> 
> While blogging tonight…something killed a skunk outside…I can smell it inside. Ugh. I finished my blog, posted it and mention it here…I don't know if it is good or not, but I can say with confidence that it stinks less than my house.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aKKkD4
> 
> Ok, I am leaving for Des Moines. I don't even have time to try to trick David or SPalm into giving it a read.


happy birthday , Brian !

one thing i learned about 43 ,

it's only good for 1 year .

enjoy it !

and congratulations ,
on the ' dad project ' .


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *I hate it when that happens...*
> 
> While blogging tonight…something killed a skunk outside…I can smell it inside. Ugh. I finished my blog, posted it and mention it here…I don't know if it is good or not, but I can say with confidence that it stinks less than my house.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aKKkD4
> 
> Ok, I am leaving for Des Moines. I don't even have time to try to trick David or SPalm into giving it a read.


Happy Birthday. If you keep posting like this with just enough teaser to keep it a real post (as opposed to just spamming a link) I'll keep reading. I read almost all of the blogs and yours is very good.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *I hate it when that happens...*
> 
> While blogging tonight…something killed a skunk outside…I can smell it inside. Ugh. I finished my blog, posted it and mention it here…I don't know if it is good or not, but I can say with confidence that it stinks less than my house.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aKKkD4
> 
> Ok, I am leaving for Des Moines. I don't even have time to try to trick David or SPalm into giving it a read.


Happy belated birthday and congrats on the acknowledgment of your abilities that your parents have now place in you. I know your father's laptops are in good hands.

Now lets talk about teaser. What would encourage a woodworker to click on my blog….

1. I could hint about a new commission as a woodworker and that payment in food could possibly be involved.

2. I could talk hint about the special occasion which both symbolizes my birth as a human being and my re-birth as a woodworker (new commission and all).

3. Talk about the odor of skunks and how even the skunk smell may be secondary to the quality of my blog…

And just for clarity, my friend, I did not click on the link because of the skunks 

Great product Brian, you need to work on the advertising 

David


----------



## Ecocandle

*Secret Scottish Society*

Some blogs posts are better than others. Some blog posts absolutely stink…pun intended…(it will make sense if you ready yesterday's post). And some of them I write to make myself chuckle. Today I got a bit creative, mostly to entertain myself. I succeeded! I am very entertained, and now I am going to go watch Ohio State University play in the NCAA basketball tournament.

I hope you enjoy.

http://bit.ly/bkiEUk


----------



## Ecocandle

*A complete lack of self restraint...*

Hello Lumberjocks and Cats,

Today I shopped. I made a list, checked it thrice and headed out determined to stick to it.

The power of the Woodsmith store was just too great, and though I resisted the temptation to make any major Festool purchases, I did stray from the list.

Oh well. I had fun. Talked a bit of woodworking. And when I got home with my stuff watched UNI beat Kansas in basketball. I would rate that a pretty good day.

To see the actual rating I assigned today… http://bit.ly/dAuBFx

Brian


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *A complete lack of self restraint...*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks and Cats,
> 
> Today I shopped. I made a list, checked it thrice and headed out determined to stick to it.
> 
> The power of the Woodsmith store was just too great, and though I resisted the temptation to make any major Festool purchases, I did stray from the list.
> 
> Oh well. I had fun. Talked a bit of woodworking. And when I got home with my stuff watched UNI beat Kansas in basketball. I would rate that a pretty good day.
> 
> To see the actual rating I assigned today… http://bit.ly/dAuBFx
> 
> Brian


Brian, I always come out poorer whenever I go to my local Woodcraft store so I can well understand your "temptation" to stray.


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *A complete lack of self restraint...*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks and Cats,
> 
> Today I shopped. I made a list, checked it thrice and headed out determined to stick to it.
> 
> The power of the Woodsmith store was just too great, and though I resisted the temptation to make any major Festool purchases, I did stray from the list.
> 
> Oh well. I had fun. Talked a bit of woodworking. And when I got home with my stuff watched UNI beat Kansas in basketball. I would rate that a pretty good day.
> 
> To see the actual rating I assigned today… http://bit.ly/dAuBFx
> 
> Brian


another good one


----------



## Ecocandle

*Book Review*

Hello All,

It took me 3 days to finish the book I promised to finish in two, but that was mostly because I kept rereading the good parts. And there were a lot of good parts.

Today I am posting my blog piece a bit early, because my parents and I are going to the first round of the NCAA women's tournament in Ames tonight. I am very excited and confident that the #4 seeded Cyclones will do well.

I will not be rolling out of Hilton until very late and likely won't arrive back in Martelle until 2 or 3 AM, so I am posting now, to keep my streak alive.

http://bit.ly/ckvHh0

I hope you enjoy the review half as much as I enjoyed the book. Of course, the writers are much better than me at their craft, so perhaps I should set the bar a little lower. How about, I hope you enjoy the review 37% as much as I enjoyed reading the book. I enjoyed reading it so much, that 37% should still be pretty good.


----------



## Bret

Ecocandle said:


> *Book Review*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It took me 3 days to finish the book I promised to finish in two, but that was mostly because I kept rereading the good parts. And there were a lot of good parts.
> 
> Today I am posting my blog piece a bit early, because my parents and I are going to the first round of the NCAA women's tournament in Ames tonight. I am very excited and confident that the #4 seeded Cyclones will do well.
> 
> I will not be rolling out of Hilton until very late and likely won't arrive back in Martelle until 2 or 3 AM, so I am posting now, to keep my streak alive.
> 
> http://bit.ly/ckvHh0
> 
> I hope you enjoy the review half as much as I enjoyed the book. Of course, the writers are much better than me at their craft, so perhaps I should set the bar a little lower. How about, I hope you enjoy the review 37% as much as I enjoyed reading the book. I enjoyed reading it so much, that 37% should still be pretty good.


Go Clones!!!!!!!!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Book Review*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It took me 3 days to finish the book I promised to finish in two, but that was mostly because I kept rereading the good parts. And there were a lot of good parts.
> 
> Today I am posting my blog piece a bit early, because my parents and I are going to the first round of the NCAA women's tournament in Ames tonight. I am very excited and confident that the #4 seeded Cyclones will do well.
> 
> I will not be rolling out of Hilton until very late and likely won't arrive back in Martelle until 2 or 3 AM, so I am posting now, to keep my streak alive.
> 
> http://bit.ly/ckvHh0
> 
> I hope you enjoy the review half as much as I enjoyed the book. Of course, the writers are much better than me at their craft, so perhaps I should set the bar a little lower. How about, I hope you enjoy the review 37% as much as I enjoyed reading the book. I enjoyed reading it so much, that 37% should still be pretty good.


They Won! It was a great game.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Continued coverage of my router table...*

Today was all about installing the router table tracks, but when it came time to screw in the screws, I realized that they weren't exactly right.

I made a mad dash to Home Depot and…

http://bit.ly/cNNFGL


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Continued coverage of my router table...*
> 
> Today was all about installing the router table tracks, but when it came time to screw in the screws, I realized that they weren't exactly right.
> 
> I made a mad dash to Home Depot and…
> 
> http://bit.ly/cNNFGL


i went to HD on last minute runs 3 times last weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun). I too didn't speed.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Call it being paranoid...*

But last night, late last night, actually early in the morning, I became paranoid about a little bit of a screw that remained in the router table top.

If you are interested in why I thought that this bit of a screw might ultimately lead to a horrible and tragic death, then feel free to read on.

http://bit.ly/dcSmmx


----------



## Ecocandle

*A talk about deadlines...*

I quoted a well know cat author's writing buddy tonight. The quote pertained to deadlines and I wrote a bit about how I approach my projects.

I also made some good progress on the router table fence. There are picture too.

http://bit.ly/bGbSVw

 Meow.


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *A talk about deadlines...*
> 
> I quoted a well know cat author's writing buddy tonight. The quote pertained to deadlines and I wrote a bit about how I approach my projects.
> 
> I also made some good progress on the router table fence. There are picture too.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bGbSVw
> 
> Meow.


fence is getting better .


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A talk about deadlines...*
> 
> I quoted a well know cat author's writing buddy tonight. The quote pertained to deadlines and I wrote a bit about how I approach my projects.
> 
> I also made some good progress on the router table fence. There are picture too.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bGbSVw
> 
> Meow.


Thanks Patron. I am glad you liked it. The progress is really thrilling.


----------



## webwood

Ecocandle said:


> *A talk about deadlines...*
> 
> I quoted a well know cat author's writing buddy tonight. The quote pertained to deadlines and I wrote a bit about how I approach my projects.
> 
> I also made some good progress on the router table fence. There are picture too.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bGbSVw
> 
> Meow.


go panthers


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A talk about deadlines...*
> 
> I quoted a well know cat author's writing buddy tonight. The quote pertained to deadlines and I wrote a bit about how I approach my projects.
> 
> I also made some good progress on the router table fence. There are picture too.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bGbSVw
> 
> Meow.


UNI Rocks.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I love geometry.*



The beauty of a fine piece of furniture can be destilled down to the geometry. The angles, the ratios, the use of different colors to create leading lines that take the eye around the piece, just as one would do with a fine painting.

I don't know if most woodworkers use a compass or not, but I have dug mine out and rediscovered my love of geometry. A straight edge, a pencil, a compass and it is amazing what one can calculate. The below picture is my favorite geometry proof. If you are interested in how I used geometry in my router table project, feel free to follow the link. If you just want to stare at the beauty of a geometry proof, feel free to hang out here a bit.

http://bit.ly/9RwRv1


----------



## Ecocandle

*A night for practice...*

Hello All,

I spent a bunch of time practicing the art of shapening. I am getting better at it and I discovered several things about sharpening today. I feel measureably wiser.

I also realized that I have not done a good job of keeping my whetstone flat. I took a picture. And I have a plan to rectify the situation. If you aren't already bored with my divel, you can stop over to the blog.

http://bit.ly/ajylf4

Until tomorrow,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*It is harder than it looks*

Hello All,

Today I woke up with the plan that I would flatten my whetstone on a precision cinder block. My guess was that it would take around 15 minutes. It did NOT take 15 minutes. Compared to the lenght of time that the universe has existed, it wasn't so bad, but when one measures the time against one single saturday, it was brutal.

Having a flat stone is a great thing though. After my chisel was sharpened I did some more dovetail practicing and took one really good picture. I am extra happy with the photo today.

http://bit.ly/a7rLRc

Talk to you all tomorrow,

Brian


----------



## skeeter

Ecocandle said:


> *It is harder than it looks*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I woke up with the plan that I would flatten my whetstone on a precision cinder block. My guess was that it would take around 15 minutes. It did NOT take 15 minutes. Compared to the lenght of time that the universe has existed, it wasn't so bad, but when one measures the time against one single saturday, it was brutal.
> 
> Having a flat stone is a great thing though. After my chisel was sharpened I did some more dovetail practicing and took one really good picture. I am extra happy with the photo today.
> 
> http://bit.ly/a7rLRc
> 
> Talk to you all tomorrow,
> 
> Brian


does that work well, the Cinder block?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *It is harder than it looks*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I woke up with the plan that I would flatten my whetstone on a precision cinder block. My guess was that it would take around 15 minutes. It did NOT take 15 minutes. Compared to the lenght of time that the universe has existed, it wasn't so bad, but when one measures the time against one single saturday, it was brutal.
> 
> Having a flat stone is a great thing though. After my chisel was sharpened I did some more dovetail practicing and took one really good picture. I am extra happy with the photo today.
> 
> http://bit.ly/a7rLRc
> 
> Talk to you all tomorrow,
> 
> Brian


Yes it does, but it takes a long time.


----------



## skeeter

Ecocandle said:


> *It is harder than it looks*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I woke up with the plan that I would flatten my whetstone on a precision cinder block. My guess was that it would take around 15 minutes. It did NOT take 15 minutes. Compared to the lenght of time that the universe has existed, it wasn't so bad, but when one measures the time against one single saturday, it was brutal.
> 
> Having a flat stone is a great thing though. After my chisel was sharpened I did some more dovetail practicing and took one really good picture. I am extra happy with the photo today.
> 
> http://bit.ly/a7rLRc
> 
> Talk to you all tomorrow,
> 
> Brian


is it an oilstone?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *It is harder than it looks*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I woke up with the plan that I would flatten my whetstone on a precision cinder block. My guess was that it would take around 15 minutes. It did NOT take 15 minutes. Compared to the lenght of time that the universe has existed, it wasn't so bad, but when one measures the time against one single saturday, it was brutal.
> 
> Having a flat stone is a great thing though. After my chisel was sharpened I did some more dovetail practicing and took one really good picture. I am extra happy with the photo today.
> 
> http://bit.ly/a7rLRc
> 
> Talk to you all tomorrow,
> 
> Brian


No, it is the kind one soaks in water.


----------



## skeeter

Ecocandle said:


> *It is harder than it looks*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I woke up with the plan that I would flatten my whetstone on a precision cinder block. My guess was that it would take around 15 minutes. It did NOT take 15 minutes. Compared to the lenght of time that the universe has existed, it wasn't so bad, but when one measures the time against one single saturday, it was brutal.
> 
> Having a flat stone is a great thing though. After my chisel was sharpened I did some more dovetail practicing and took one really good picture. I am extra happy with the photo today.
> 
> http://bit.ly/a7rLRc
> 
> Talk to you all tomorrow,
> 
> Brian


I don't mean to be a know it all but if it took 15 min. you should do it more frequently. Your sharpening will be more consistant. I do mine after 100 or so strokes


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *It is harder than it looks*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I woke up with the plan that I would flatten my whetstone on a precision cinder block. My guess was that it would take around 15 minutes. It did NOT take 15 minutes. Compared to the lenght of time that the universe has existed, it wasn't so bad, but when one measures the time against one single saturday, it was brutal.
> 
> Having a flat stone is a great thing though. After my chisel was sharpened I did some more dovetail practicing and took one really good picture. I am extra happy with the photo today.
> 
> http://bit.ly/a7rLRc
> 
> Talk to you all tomorrow,
> 
> Brian


Skeeter,

You are absolutely right, I do need to do it more frequently. I think I will try to stay on top of it better from here on out.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Half Blind Light bulb Mortise*

Hello All,

Today I cut my first half blind light bulb mortise. I am quite proud of it. I have blogged about how I came to cut such a beast. It was really fun.

http://bit.ly/bQYzFY

Ok, now I have some glue ups to do. I love this stuff.

Brian


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Light bulb Mortise*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I cut my first half blind light bulb mortise. I am quite proud of it. I have blogged about how I came to cut such a beast. It was really fun.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bQYzFY
> 
> Ok, now I have some glue ups to do. I love this stuff.
> 
> Brian


deciding whether you are a hand woodworker or need some power tools is half the battle .
some just like to relax in the shop ,
and some need to be able to do the basics quickly ,
so they can get to the challenge .
when you do a full dresser project ,
it makes a difference in time .
only you can decide where you want to be in this .


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Light bulb Mortise*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I cut my first half blind light bulb mortise. I am quite proud of it. I have blogged about how I came to cut such a beast. It was really fun.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bQYzFY
> 
> Ok, now I have some glue ups to do. I love this stuff.
> 
> Brian


Good day at the shop Brian, great progress.

I made two picture frames today in the G&G stlye. Power tools made them go really fast but when I broke out my shoulder plane to clean up the tennons, that was my favorite part. I will post them this week to see what you all think.

best


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Light bulb Mortise*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I cut my first half blind light bulb mortise. I am quite proud of it. I have blogged about how I came to cut such a beast. It was really fun.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bQYzFY
> 
> Ok, now I have some glue ups to do. I love this stuff.
> 
> Brian


Patron,

Ulitimately I will mostly use power tools. I intend on sticking with the hand tools until two things have happened.

1) I have command of them and all that they can do.

2) I have bought all the other good stuff.

For now, I use what I have, and am having a wonderful time. It is obvious that I will, over the next twenty years or so, spend thousands of dollars on this adventure. For now, I am enjoying buying the hand tools, but when I have them, then I will start to add things like a table saw, planer, drill press, ect.

Brian

Chelios,

I love Greene and Greene. I can't wait to see your picture frames.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*New Henry Wood episode*

Hello All,

It has been a while, so I decided to add another chapter to the Henry Wood Detective Agency saga tonight. I have done some woodworking, and I continue to make progress on the router table top, but tonight the blog is about finding out what is going on with Henry.

http://bit.ly/bDm2rv oops, I had put up the wrong link before. Sorry.

I hope you enjoy.

Sincerely,

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *New Henry Wood episode*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It has been a while, so I decided to add another chapter to the Henry Wood Detective Agency saga tonight. I have done some woodworking, and I continue to make progress on the router table top, but tonight the blog is about finding out what is going on with Henry.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bDm2rv oops, I had put up the wrong link before. Sorry.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


that was nice to hear about Henry Wood again
thow it was one whit lot of tears
but please ceep let them coming
I enjoy those few minuts breake
where I don´t have to think too much
and that closet is deffently not bad
to have in a shop it surdently know
how to deliver some great stoff

thank´s Brian

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *New Henry Wood episode*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It has been a while, so I decided to add another chapter to the Henry Wood Detective Agency saga tonight. I have done some woodworking, and I continue to make progress on the router table top, but tonight the blog is about finding out what is going on with Henry.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bDm2rv oops, I had put up the wrong link before. Sorry.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


Dennisgrosen,

I am glad you enjoyed it. I am sorry it took so long between episodes.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *New Henry Wood episode*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It has been a while, so I decided to add another chapter to the Henry Wood Detective Agency saga tonight. I have done some woodworking, and I continue to make progress on the router table top, but tonight the blog is about finding out what is going on with Henry.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bDm2rv oops, I had put up the wrong link before. Sorry.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


it doesn´t matter what matters is you let them coming )
I´m sorry that havn´t comment on some of the other post
but you sometimes (not that you shuolden´t) used words
and frames that I can´t follow good enoff to comment on
becourse I only can read some of the simpler words even
thow I read the blog´s every time try to pick up more
of the advanced english trying to learn at least three thing´s
every day but with language it´s very hard becourse of 
a carcrash back in1981 but I do enjoy your writing and story´s

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *New Henry Wood episode*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It has been a while, so I decided to add another chapter to the Henry Wood Detective Agency saga tonight. I have done some woodworking, and I continue to make progress on the router table top, but tonight the blog is about finding out what is going on with Henry.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bDm2rv oops, I had put up the wrong link before. Sorry.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

I am impressed that you continue to work so hard at it. I tried to chat a bit with a new friend I made who lives in Paris. I haven't spoken French much since 1995, and I had to pull out the dictionary to make it through. I am sorry to hear you had a car crash that makes it hard. If there are words that you don't understand or can't find in a dictionary, just send me a direct message and I will explain them for you. And don't feel badly, some of the words I use are Latin or Old English. I realize it make it hard for some to read, but that is just my style.

I have used 'aft gang agley' a couple of times. That is Old English for 'often go awry'. I learned it from watching an Eddie Izzard comedy video a few years back, and love the saying. I just like how it sounds.

I hope you will let me know if there are parts you don't understand. I would be glad to help. You have been one of the readers who has been around for a long time. I am thrilled that you are still checking out my daily blog.

Sincerely,

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *New Henry Wood episode*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It has been a while, so I decided to add another chapter to the Henry Wood Detective Agency saga tonight. I have done some woodworking, and I continue to make progress on the router table top, but tonight the blog is about finding out what is going on with Henry.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bDm2rv oops, I had put up the wrong link before. Sorry.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


thank´s Brian
maybee I will Do that but I think it´s some of the charme in your blog´s
and I must confess it´s not daily but when I have the time
I try to see if I can read what I have missed

have a safe week and stay tuned

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Introducing My Router Table*

Hello All,

For those who have been following my router table building adventures, I am pleased to announce that it is a fully functioning table of routing. I love it. I am especially pleased with the dust collection adapter I created. It not only works, but looks pretty good in my humble opinion. The best part is that I have learned a bunch.

http://bit.ly/bUwY1B

Ok, now to conjure up ideas for my next adventure. 

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## davidroberts

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing My Router Table*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> For those who have been following my router table building adventures, I am pleased to announce that it is a fully functioning table of routing. I love it. I am especially pleased with the dust collection adapter I created. It not only works, but looks pretty good in my humble opinion. The best part is that I have learned a bunch.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bUwY1B
> 
> Ok, now to conjure up ideas for my next adventure.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Sturdy is good, nice fence. a nice place for your bosch to live and work.


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing My Router Table*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> For those who have been following my router table building adventures, I am pleased to announce that it is a fully functioning table of routing. I love it. I am especially pleased with the dust collection adapter I created. It not only works, but looks pretty good in my humble opinion. The best part is that I have learned a bunch.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bUwY1B
> 
> Ok, now to conjure up ideas for my next adventure.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Brian

Great looking router table. Please blog about how your dust collection performs. The tool I most dislike in my shop is the porter cable router I own. It scares me to death and dusts everything up in 2 minutes. Maybe a router table like yours would be a better option.

Congratulations on finishing the table


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing My Router Table*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> For those who have been following my router table building adventures, I am pleased to announce that it is a fully functioning table of routing. I love it. I am especially pleased with the dust collection adapter I created. It not only works, but looks pretty good in my humble opinion. The best part is that I have learned a bunch.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bUwY1B
> 
> Ok, now to conjure up ideas for my next adventure.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Looks really good Brian .My top on my router table has hinges also it makes bit changing much easier.
If you have a table saw how about an outfeed table as a next project? Or cross cut sled?


----------



## beckerswoodworks

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing My Router Table*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> For those who have been following my router table building adventures, I am pleased to announce that it is a fully functioning table of routing. I love it. I am especially pleased with the dust collection adapter I created. It not only works, but looks pretty good in my humble opinion. The best part is that I have learned a bunch.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bUwY1B
> 
> Ok, now to conjure up ideas for my next adventure.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Awesome router table Brian!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing My Router Table*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> For those who have been following my router table building adventures, I am pleased to announce that it is a fully functioning table of routing. I love it. I am especially pleased with the dust collection adapter I created. It not only works, but looks pretty good in my humble opinion. The best part is that I have learned a bunch.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bUwY1B
> 
> Ok, now to conjure up ideas for my next adventure.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Chelios,

I have had several people, including my mom, ask about how the dust collectin works. I think I am going to write about that for tomorrow's blog.

a1Jim,

Thanks Jim. I don't have a table saw yet. I have several ideas for my next project, I may do several small jigs or wood tools, to mix it up a bit. I just don't know yet. It is fun to think about though. I do appreciate the suggestions. If I had a table saw, I would definitely want an outfeed table.

Davidroberts,

I enjoy checking where my readers live, and I did notice that there are 6 readers from the great state of Texas, now I realize who is the person in Houston. Very cool. There also seems to be two readers in Barker, one in Manchaca, one in Euless and Addison. I am still amazed how my little online diary can reach people all over the country and world. Yesterday I had a reader from Calcutta. How cool is that?

Don,

Thanks! I am pretty happy with it. Now I need to make some accessories and perhaps give it a name.

Brian


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing My Router Table*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> For those who have been following my router table building adventures, I am pleased to announce that it is a fully functioning table of routing. I love it. I am especially pleased with the dust collection adapter I created. It not only works, but looks pretty good in my humble opinion. The best part is that I have learned a bunch.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bUwY1B
> 
> Ok, now to conjure up ideas for my next adventure.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Brian, this is going to be a fun addition to your shop. Have fun using it.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing My Router Table*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> For those who have been following my router table building adventures, I am pleased to announce that it is a fully functioning table of routing. I love it. I am especially pleased with the dust collection adapter I created. It not only works, but looks pretty good in my humble opinion. The best part is that I have learned a bunch.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bUwY1B
> 
> Ok, now to conjure up ideas for my next adventure.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


great looking routertable
and it has been fun to follow
your journey with it from the
mark and cut and now we 
see the result of your work
now you only have to post it
on projects 
make a lot of chips with it
but be safe and stay tuned

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Really late tonight sorry...*

Hello All,

Let me say first off, I am sorry that I didn't get the blog piece written about how I did the dust collection on my router table. I had planned on doing that tonight, but the neighbors were outside, and before I knew it I was visiting with Don and Jackie and eating pie.

So tonights blog, which is not my best work, is mostly about my woodworking purchases today, helping my sister get on Twitter and eating the aforementioned pie.

http://bit.ly/atmKCr

I would say that I hope you enjoy, which I do, but alas I am expect that many will find today's post to be a dreadful disappointment. But the pie was yummy!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Really late tonight sorry...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Let me say first off, I am sorry that I didn't get the blog piece written about how I did the dust collection on my router table. I had planned on doing that tonight, but the neighbors were outside, and before I knew it I was visiting with Don and Jackie and eating pie.
> 
> So tonights blog, which is not my best work, is mostly about my woodworking purchases today, helping my sister get on Twitter and eating the aforementioned pie.
> 
> http://bit.ly/atmKCr
> 
> I would say that I hope you enjoy, which I do, but alas I am expect that many will find today's post to be a dreadful disappointment. But the pie was yummy!


Skarp…I know (hangs head) I probably deserve it. Darn that delicious pie.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Creating the Dust Collection*

Hello All,

Yesterday I wrote a description of how I created the dust collection, and included it in my post in the project section. I didn't have any additional photos at the time, and it was 1 AM and well past my bed time. So tonight I took a couple of shots and posted the description in my blog.

http://bit.ly/aXFFZW

If you were curious how the dust collection works on my router table fence, then hopefully this will be a description that is helpful. If you find it still isn't clear, feel free to send me a direct message with your quesitons.

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## ColonelK0rn

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Dust Collection*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I wrote a description of how I created the dust collection, and included it in my post in the project section. I didn't have any additional photos at the time, and it was 1 AM and well past my bed time. So tonight I took a couple of shots and posted the description in my blog.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aXFFZW
> 
> If you were curious how the dust collection works on my router table fence, then hopefully this will be a description that is helpful. If you find it still isn't clear, feel free to send me a direct message with your quesitons.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Nice handiwork!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Dust Collection*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I wrote a description of how I created the dust collection, and included it in my post in the project section. I didn't have any additional photos at the time, and it was 1 AM and well past my bed time. So tonight I took a couple of shots and posted the description in my blog.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aXFFZW
> 
> If you were curious how the dust collection works on my router table fence, then hopefully this will be a description that is helpful. If you find it still isn't clear, feel free to send me a direct message with your quesitons.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


ColonelK0rn,

Thanks. I appreciate the comment.

Brian

p.s. To anyone who likes cute cat videos, I found this one today, and I have now wathed it around 8 times. I still laugh. It isn't anything to do with woodworking and I have no idea who the people are who filmed it, but it is delightful. At the very least I would expect Outputter to click on this.

http://bit.ly/bKEHnY


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Dust Collection*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I wrote a description of how I created the dust collection, and included it in my post in the project section. I didn't have any additional photos at the time, and it was 1 AM and well past my bed time. So tonight I took a couple of shots and posted the description in my blog.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aXFFZW
> 
> If you were curious how the dust collection works on my router table fence, then hopefully this will be a description that is helpful. If you find it still isn't clear, feel free to send me a direct message with your quesitons.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


niice way of building that port with a little elegance in the design
well done

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Creating the Dust Collection*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I wrote a description of how I created the dust collection, and included it in my post in the project section. I didn't have any additional photos at the time, and it was 1 AM and well past my bed time. So tonight I took a couple of shots and posted the description in my blog.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aXFFZW
> 
> If you were curious how the dust collection works on my router table fence, then hopefully this will be a description that is helpful. If you find it still isn't clear, feel free to send me a direct message with your quesitons.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Thanks Dennisgrosen.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Composing a List*

Hello Lumberjocks,

There are some blog post of mine, which I like better than the others. Tonight's was such a post. I do like making odd references, mocking, and generally being silly, and this one had all of that. The basic theme of the post is making of list of the next things I want to get done, as it relates to my woodworking and my blogging about woodworking.

http://bit.ly/c4rdBz

I do hope you enjoy it, as I really enjoyed writing this one.

Sincerely,

Brian


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *Composing a List*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> There are some blog post of mine, which I like better than the others. Tonight's was such a post. I do like making odd references, mocking, and generally being silly, and this one had all of that. The basic theme of the post is making of list of the next things I want to get done, as it relates to my woodworking and my blogging about woodworking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/c4rdBz
> 
> I do hope you enjoy it, as I really enjoyed writing this one.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


in the filling system that i use ,
the most important list ,

is the newest one ,

where to find the previous lists !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Composing a List*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> There are some blog post of mine, which I like better than the others. Tonight's was such a post. I do like making odd references, mocking, and generally being silly, and this one had all of that. The basic theme of the post is making of list of the next things I want to get done, as it relates to my woodworking and my blogging about woodworking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/c4rdBz
> 
> I do hope you enjoy it, as I really enjoyed writing this one.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


LOL…That seems like a great system. I may adopt it myself. Of course, by putting my list in my blog, I do know where it is. So I might be ok for now.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I have started the mallet*

Hello Lumberjocks,

It was beautiful in Martelle Iowa today, so I didn't do as much woodworking as I would have liked, but I did start my mallet. I have no idea if my design will work out, but I have had a bit of fun thus far. I have a couple of pictures today of the scraps I chose for the project.

http://bit.ly/9Rkq7z

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *I have started the mallet*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> It was beautiful in Martelle Iowa today, so I didn't do as much woodworking as I would have liked, but I did start my mallet. I have no idea if my design will work out, but I have had a bit of fun thus far. I have a couple of pictures today of the scraps I chose for the project.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Rkq7z
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


a good start ,
to a long line 
of banging on things !


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *I have started the mallet*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> It was beautiful in Martelle Iowa today, so I didn't do as much woodworking as I would have liked, but I did start my mallet. I have no idea if my design will work out, but I have had a bit of fun thus far. I have a couple of pictures today of the scraps I chose for the project.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Rkq7z
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


I liked the wood's joke. I listened to some wood as I read your blog and it kept saying " think Pennsylvania , think Pennsylvania.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I have started the mallet*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> It was beautiful in Martelle Iowa today, so I didn't do as much woodworking as I would have liked, but I did start my mallet. I have no idea if my design will work out, but I have had a bit of fun thus far. I have a couple of pictures today of the scraps I chose for the project.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Rkq7z
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Oluf,

I am very pleased that you liked the wood joke. Here is another one it told later…

"A snail walks into a bar, hops up on the bar, and orders a beer…" 
"The bartender walks over and flicks the snail out of the bar…" 
"A year, to the day, later, the same snail hops up on the bar and says… Hey, what was that all about?"

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I have started the mallet*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> It was beautiful in Martelle Iowa today, so I didn't do as much woodworking as I would have liked, but I did start my mallet. I have no idea if my design will work out, but I have had a bit of fun thus far. I have a couple of pictures today of the scraps I chose for the project.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Rkq7z
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


thank´s for the story with
the whispering sound
are you trying to compet
with the woodwhisperer
Marc J. Spagnuolo )

I look forward to see your
finished design on Mr. Bang
and to hear if is useple for
the task or had to sweep
floors the rest of his days

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*The list isn't done...*

Hello Lumberjocks,

If you read Friday's post, you will know I made a to do list for the weekend. I have not completed all of it, but have made a reasonable effort. The 6th, 7th, and 8th items are now done, the 8th being write another installment of the Henry Wood Detective Agency.

I hope you enjoy it.

http://bit.ly/aThlZK

Brian


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *The list isn't done...*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> If you read Friday's post, you will know I made a to do list for the weekend. I have not completed all of it, but have made a reasonable effort. The 6th, 7th, and 8th items are now done, the 8th being write another installment of the Henry Wood Detective Agency.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aThlZK
> 
> Brian


Brian you have left us in suspense again. It seams that we may be moving toward some trouble in Times Square.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The list isn't done...*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> If you read Friday's post, you will know I made a to do list for the weekend. I have not completed all of it, but have made a reasonable effort. The 6th, 7th, and 8th items are now done, the 8th being write another installment of the Henry Wood Detective Agency.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aThlZK
> 
> Brian


I think Henry wood has to be exstremly careful
with this Mr. McKinley, he is little too fast for me
but again what do we know 
it´s you who is the story teller

happy easter and be safe

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The list isn't done...*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> If you read Friday's post, you will know I made a to do list for the weekend. I have not completed all of it, but have made a reasonable effort. The 6th, 7th, and 8th items are now done, the 8th being write another installment of the Henry Wood Detective Agency.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aThlZK
> 
> Brian


It seems that both of you liked the latest installment, I am pleased.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A bit about photography...*

Lumberjocks,

I received an email requesting some information on how I got started in the stock photography business. I do like to play, er write, a request. So that is what I did. Back to woodworking tomorrow.

http://bit.ly/dAA4GL

Brian


----------



## lumberdog

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit about photography...*
> 
> Lumberjocks,
> 
> I received an email requesting some information on how I got started in the stock photography business. I do like to play, er write, a request. So that is what I did. Back to woodworking tomorrow.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dAA4GL
> 
> Brian


site will not open for me


----------



## Jason34

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit about photography...*
> 
> Lumberjocks,
> 
> I received an email requesting some information on how I got started in the stock photography business. I do like to play, er write, a request. So that is what I did. Back to woodworking tomorrow.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dAA4GL
> 
> Brian


Interesting stuff Brian. I enjoy photography, but one hobby is more than enough for me at the moment. I have started to carry my camera with me more often. You never know when you might see something worth capturing, just like your picture of the leaky hose.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit about photography...*
> 
> Lumberjocks,
> 
> I received an email requesting some information on how I got started in the stock photography business. I do like to play, er write, a request. So that is what I did. Back to woodworking tomorrow.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dAA4GL
> 
> Brian


Lumberdog,

I am not sure why the link didn't work. Sorry.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Bits and pieces*

Hello All,

We are having a bit of a tornado Warning here in Jones county. As such, I have written a short blog piece, as I fear there could be power outages.

http://bit.ly/aCtMQV

I am adding bits and pieces to it from time to time. Mostly I just wanted to make sure that I kept my consecutive day of blogging alive, which I have done. I am sorry it isn't of the normal type, but I did include a picture of the parts for my mallet. Ok, off to watch the storm a bit.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Dry Run Dialogue*

Hello LJ,

I have now glued my mallet into one hunk of wood. If you are interested in the conversation I had with the mallet and wish to hear the rediculous joke the wood told, feel free to pop on over to the blog. There is a picture which shows the handle too. I am pleased with how it feels and looks.

http://bit.ly/ccTnfx

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Who is number 45?*

Hello Lumberjocks,

I doubt many of you would have guessed that number 45 is my mallet. But it is, and I explain why in tonight's blog. I would describe today's ramble as especially inane, but that sometimes happens with my writing. I am pleased with how it is coming along and now that it is glued together I can proceed with getting into the shape I want.

http://bit.ly/cjCEKD

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Who is number 45?*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> I doubt many of you would have guessed that number 45 is my mallet. But it is, and I explain why in tonight's blog. I would describe today's ramble as especially inane, but that sometimes happens with my writing. I am pleased with how it is coming along and now that it is glued together I can proceed with getting into the shape I want.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cjCEKD
> 
> Brian


I enjoy reading your blogs. Makes me happy. 
p.s. My wife told me when I name my tools she is sending me to therapy !
Hope you and Archie get along well. ! (chuckle)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Who is number 45?*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> I doubt many of you would have guessed that number 45 is my mallet. But it is, and I explain why in tonight's blog. I would describe today's ramble as especially inane, but that sometimes happens with my writing. I am pleased with how it is coming along and now that it is glued together I can proceed with getting into the shape I want.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cjCEKD
> 
> Brian


Canadianchips,

Please tell your wife that it is she who keeps you sane. Me, I am a single, middle aged, balding male, who has little else, so naturally I have 'gone round the bend' a long time ago. Actually, it was 'Archie' who came up with the 'round the bend bit', which is what happens when one names, talks to, and listens to their tools.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*It's Done...It's Done.*

Hello All,

I have finished the carving mallet. I comes in at 1 pound 4.8 ounces. If you care to check it out, feel free to hop on over to the blog. I will also throw it up in the projects section too.

http://bit.ly/crvRIy

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *It's Done...It's Done.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have finished the carving mallet. I comes in at 1 pound 4.8 ounces. If you care to check it out, feel free to hop on over to the blog. I will also throw it up in the projects section too.
> 
> http://bit.ly/crvRIy
> 
> Brian


I guess congrats are in order to your new addition to the tool family. A bouncing carving mallet at 1 pound 4.8 ounces. I am certain you will make "Archie" a fine owner.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *It's Done...It's Done.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have finished the carving mallet. I comes in at 1 pound 4.8 ounces. If you care to check it out, feel free to hop on over to the blog. I will also throw it up in the projects section too.
> 
> http://bit.ly/crvRIy
> 
> Brian


LOL…Yes, i will do my best.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *It's Done...It's Done.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have finished the carving mallet. I comes in at 1 pound 4.8 ounces. If you care to check it out, feel free to hop on over to the blog. I will also throw it up in the projects section too.
> 
> http://bit.ly/crvRIy
> 
> Brian


Archie deffently look like he cuold make some heads ringing if you try´d
why don´t you sent me the catalog and you wallet I will gladly use 
your money to fill up my toolbox with something from Lee-Valley

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Microplane fun*

Hey LJ,

I spent some wonderful shop time making a handle for a push stick. It may not sound like much, but that is what I did. I love my microplanes and they did a really good job. Natrually I blogged about this fact, because that is what I do.

http://bit.ly/bGXJeF

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Microplane fun*
> 
> Hey LJ,
> 
> I spent some wonderful shop time making a handle for a push stick. It may not sound like much, but that is what I did. I love my microplanes and they did a really good job. Natrually I blogged about this fact, because that is what I do.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bGXJeF
> 
> Brian


Some remarkable things have been made when people are just monkying around . No plans just playing.


----------



## bigike

Ecocandle said:


> *Microplane fun*
> 
> Hey LJ,
> 
> I spent some wonderful shop time making a handle for a push stick. It may not sound like much, but that is what I did. I love my microplanes and they did a really good job. Natrually I blogged about this fact, because that is what I do.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bGXJeF
> 
> Brian


yea look at all my projects, no plans just in the shop wanting to do something and i turned out some cool pieces.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Reaching the 100 mark.*

Hello Lumberjocks,

Tonight I just want to thank everyone who has been so helpful and supportive in my journey into woodworking. I can't believe that it has been 100 days since I first started these daily ramblings. I have gotten better at woodworking over that time, though I am still a complete novice. I would like to think that I have gotten better as a writer as well. Both writing and woodworking are fun. Tonight's blog was more of an exercise in creative writing than a description of my woodworking today, as today's woodworking was cut short by watching The Masters. Then I tried to chisel out a mortise and it went quite poorly. Oh well. So I quit and did some writing and snacking.

http://bit.ly/dabxcA

Thanks again,

Brian


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Reaching the 100 mark.*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> Tonight I just want to thank everyone who has been so helpful and supportive in my journey into woodworking. I can't believe that it has been 100 days since I first started these daily ramblings. I have gotten better at woodworking over that time, though I am still a complete novice. I would like to think that I have gotten better as a writer as well. Both writing and woodworking are fun. Tonight's blog was more of an exercise in creative writing than a description of my woodworking today, as today's woodworking was cut short by watching The Masters. Then I tried to chisel out a mortise and it went quite poorly. Oh well. So I quit and did some writing and snacking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dabxcA
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> Brian


Brian, you remind me of another tennis player named Vincent Van Patten. He's the son of Dick Van Patten of "Eight Is Enough" fame and has managed to string together a thirty year acting career and at one time was ranked 41 in the world at tennis. In response to a personal criticism about his acting, he once said something along the lines of "I play tennis better than any actor I know and I can act better than any tennis player I know." Oddly, that makes him number one in the world at the combination of the two.

I think you're like him in that you write better than any wood worker I know and you are a better wood worker than any writer I know. That makes you number one in the world!

Congratulations,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Reaching the 100 mark.*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> Tonight I just want to thank everyone who has been so helpful and supportive in my journey into woodworking. I can't believe that it has been 100 days since I first started these daily ramblings. I have gotten better at woodworking over that time, though I am still a complete novice. I would like to think that I have gotten better as a writer as well. Both writing and woodworking are fun. Tonight's blog was more of an exercise in creative writing than a description of my woodworking today, as today's woodworking was cut short by watching The Masters. Then I tried to chisel out a mortise and it went quite poorly. Oh well. So I quit and did some writing and snacking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dabxcA
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> Brian


Jim,

I loved 'Eight Is Enough', and know of Vincent Van Patten and his dual careers. I very much appreciate the comparison. I will not rest on my laurels though. I hope I can continue to improve in both areas.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Reaching the 100 mark.*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> Tonight I just want to thank everyone who has been so helpful and supportive in my journey into woodworking. I can't believe that it has been 100 days since I first started these daily ramblings. I have gotten better at woodworking over that time, though I am still a complete novice. I would like to think that I have gotten better as a writer as well. Both writing and woodworking are fun. Tonight's blog was more of an exercise in creative writing than a description of my woodworking today, as today's woodworking was cut short by watching The Masters. Then I tried to chisel out a mortise and it went quite poorly. Oh well. So I quit and did some writing and snacking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dabxcA
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> Brian


that was a good one Outputter
congrat´s with the nr.100 in a row
you deffently do it much better than I am ….LOL
in both deciplines . 
I look forward to follow the next many stories
in your woodworking journey
be safe and stay tuned

Dennis


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Reaching the 100 mark.*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> Tonight I just want to thank everyone who has been so helpful and supportive in my journey into woodworking. I can't believe that it has been 100 days since I first started these daily ramblings. I have gotten better at woodworking over that time, though I am still a complete novice. I would like to think that I have gotten better as a writer as well. Both writing and woodworking are fun. Tonight's blog was more of an exercise in creative writing than a description of my woodworking today, as today's woodworking was cut short by watching The Masters. Then I tried to chisel out a mortise and it went quite poorly. Oh well. So I quit and did some writing and snacking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dabxcA
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> Brian


Congratulations on the 100th Brian. Of course the next blog will be more momentous because you would have passed Woodworking and Creative Writing 101 at the same time 

David


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Reaching the 100 mark.*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> Tonight I just want to thank everyone who has been so helpful and supportive in my journey into woodworking. I can't believe that it has been 100 days since I first started these daily ramblings. I have gotten better at woodworking over that time, though I am still a complete novice. I would like to think that I have gotten better as a writer as well. Both writing and woodworking are fun. Tonight's blog was more of an exercise in creative writing than a description of my woodworking today, as today's woodworking was cut short by watching The Masters. Then I tried to chisel out a mortise and it went quite poorly. Oh well. So I quit and did some writing and snacking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dabxcA
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> Brian


David,

LOL…good one.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Long Wait*

Hello All,

For those who are following the Henry Wood Detective Agency series, I have now posted all of the old chapters and added a new one with tonight's post. I hope you enjoy it.

http://bit.ly/c2pclE

Sincerely,

Brian Meeks


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The Long Wait*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> For those who are following the Henry Wood Detective Agency series, I have now posted all of the old chapters and added a new one with tonight's post. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/c2pclE
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


it most explode it have to!

thank´s for the morningbreake Brian
but not much wood there today

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*A New Lumber Yard Near Me*

Dear Lumberjocks,

I discovered a lumber yard which I didn't know about, near Iowa City, and they have all sorts of great lumber from around the globe. Finding a new lumber yard is like getting a catalogue. It is great.

http://bit.ly/b6z4oN

Brian


----------



## richgreer

Ecocandle said:


> *A New Lumber Yard Near Me*
> 
> Dear Lumberjocks,
> 
> I discovered a lumber yard which I didn't know about, near Iowa City, and they have all sorts of great lumber from around the globe. Finding a new lumber yard is like getting a catalogue. It is great.
> 
> http://bit.ly/b6z4oN
> 
> Brian


I'm sure that what you are talking about is Hills Hardwoods. They do offer a nice assortment of exotics at semi-reasonable prices. You can find better prices on the internet if you are willing to look for them. They're real price advantage is on small purchases where the lack of a shipping charge gives them an advantage.

For domestic hardwood lumber, you cannot beat Wielands in Whinthrop, IA. Their prices are substantially less than Hills Hardwoods, but they offer no exotics.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A New Lumber Yard Near Me*
> 
> Dear Lumberjocks,
> 
> I discovered a lumber yard which I didn't know about, near Iowa City, and they have all sorts of great lumber from around the globe. Finding a new lumber yard is like getting a catalogue. It is great.
> 
> http://bit.ly/b6z4oN
> 
> Brian


nice for you I wish we had the same oppetunity here in Denmark
well I gess I have to work around when the time come

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A New Lumber Yard Near Me*
> 
> Dear Lumberjocks,
> 
> I discovered a lumber yard which I didn't know about, near Iowa City, and they have all sorts of great lumber from around the globe. Finding a new lumber yard is like getting a catalogue. It is great.
> 
> http://bit.ly/b6z4oN
> 
> Brian


Thanks Dennisgrosen,

I am glad you enjoyed today's post.

Brian


----------



## ArcticTroy

Ecocandle said:


> *A New Lumber Yard Near Me*
> 
> Dear Lumberjocks,
> 
> I discovered a lumber yard which I didn't know about, near Iowa City, and they have all sorts of great lumber from around the globe. Finding a new lumber yard is like getting a catalogue. It is great.
> 
> http://bit.ly/b6z4oN
> 
> Brian


Nice find! Gotta be nice to have more options and another place to hang out with outer wood guys and gals.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A New Lumber Yard Near Me*
> 
> Dear Lumberjocks,
> 
> I discovered a lumber yard which I didn't know about, near Iowa City, and they have all sorts of great lumber from around the globe. Finding a new lumber yard is like getting a catalogue. It is great.
> 
> http://bit.ly/b6z4oN
> 
> Brian


Troy,

Thanks for taking the time to comment. I just found your blog and the great interviews. It is almost 2 AM, so I am getting tired, but I will read some more of your stuff tomorrow. Really good blog, everyone should check it out.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Another Mortise*

Hello All,

I worked on the base for my router table push stick. I chiseled out a by best mortise yet. I am very pleased with how it looks.

There is a picture. http://bit.ly/b2f7KC

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Another Mortise*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I worked on the base for my router table push stick. I chiseled out a by best mortise yet. I am very pleased with how it looks.
> 
> There is a picture. http://bit.ly/b2f7KC
> 
> Brian


There was a question posted on the site about the type of chisel I used and how I sharpened it.

For that mortise I started by sharpening it on my King 1000/6000 stone. I practice sharpening a lot, so my few chisels never really get dull. I have started to practice sharpening without the guide and I am getting ok doing it free hand now. The mortise in the picture was cut entirely with a 1 1/4 inch (32 mm) Yellow handled Stanley. It was inexpensive and great for a beginner who wants to learn how to sharpen.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Glaring Error in My Plan*

Hello All,

Today I made a couple of discoveries, one of which was about a resource for learning woodworking, that someone I had overlooked. I am sure that many of you already follow The Renaissance Woodworker blog, as do I. But today, while wondering around his site today I found that he has a huge collection of really well done podcasts on a vast array of topics. This was the the second of two discoveries which I made today.

http://bit.ly/aMXi5I

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Sorry about being so late tonight...*

Hello All,

I had a lovely day buying a new tool. This is something I have thought about since before I started writing this blog and now it was time to buy. I am very happy with it and I can't wait to play with it tomorrow. For now though, it is late, I am tuckered and I need some snoozing.

http://bit.ly/bwuddK

G'night all,

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Sorry about being so late tonight...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a lovely day buying a new tool. This is something I have thought about since before I started writing this blog and now it was time to buy. I am very happy with it and I can't wait to play with it tomorrow. For now though, it is late, I am tuckered and I need some snoozing.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bwuddK
> 
> G'night all,
> 
> Brian


congrat´s with your new tool for the small world 
are you planning to make 1 : 12 furniture )
when you keep you warm by the fire

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Sorry about being so late tonight...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a lovely day buying a new tool. This is something I have thought about since before I started writing this blog and now it was time to buy. I am very happy with it and I can't wait to play with it tomorrow. For now though, it is late, I am tuckered and I need some snoozing.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bwuddK
> 
> G'night all,
> 
> Brian


I might make some small furniture, as a prototype…that would be fun!


----------



## BarbS

Ecocandle said:


> *Sorry about being so late tonight...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a lovely day buying a new tool. This is something I have thought about since before I started writing this blog and now it was time to buy. I am very happy with it and I can't wait to play with it tomorrow. For now though, it is late, I am tuckered and I need some snoozing.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bwuddK
> 
> G'night all,
> 
> Brian


Too bad about that grandfather's lumber going into a burn pile.. who knew what could have been? Have fun with that new Dremel. I've done the same, standing staring at it in the hardware store, plus all the bits and accouterments. Haven't bought one. And donuts! You've made me a new craving. ;-)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Sorry about being so late tonight...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a lovely day buying a new tool. This is something I have thought about since before I started writing this blog and now it was time to buy. I am very happy with it and I can't wait to play with it tomorrow. For now though, it is late, I am tuckered and I need some snoozing.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bwuddK
> 
> G'night all,
> 
> Brian


Barbs,

I spent the whole day outside playing around, and I have 2 more blog pieces to write for friend's blogs, so I may not get to it tonight, but I did open everything up and check it out. I love it, and I haven't even started to use it yet. Thanks for giving my blog a read. 

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Negative Space*

Hello All,

I had quite a day. One which yielded a blog piece, of which I am quite proud. There are some that I like better than others, and though this one only takes peek at my woodworking journey, it was a delight to write. If you are on who enjoyed some of my more 'creative writing' pieces, then I would say this one is more like those. If you like to read about my foibles in woodworking, there isn't much of that in today's rambling. Mostly I just went out into the world and interacted with other people. Some really wonderful people. This is that story.

http://bit.ly/cATLcr

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did in putting it together.

Sincerely,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Getting To Know My New Dremel 4000*

Hello LJs,

Today I spent a good deal of time with the manual. More than any other tool I have bought to date, this one has a lot of things one needs to keep in mind for safety and to ensure proper use. I actually read some of the parts a couple of times.

I would implore anyone who has a Dremel, and has not read their manual to do so. If you are not convinced, then just give my blog a quick read and see if you don't discover something. If you do, then maybe you will be inclined to dust the manual off and read it cover to cover, in all 3 languages. Ok that last part doesn't matter much, but I did read some of the French pages, just for fun.

http://bit.ly/anUpJR

Be safe,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Getting To Know My New Dremel 4000*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Today I spent a good deal of time with the manual. More than any other tool I have bought to date, this one has a lot of things one needs to keep in mind for safety and to ensure proper use. I actually read some of the parts a couple of times.
> 
> I would implore anyone who has a Dremel, and has not read their manual to do so. If you are not convinced, then just give my blog a quick read and see if you don't discover something. If you do, then maybe you will be inclined to dust the manual off and read it cover to cover, in all 3 languages. Ok that last part doesn't matter much, but I did read some of the French pages, just for fun.
> 
> http://bit.ly/anUpJR
> 
> Be safe,
> 
> Brian


A funny thing happened tonight…

...I was just thinking it might be nice to find some Dremel 4000 Tutorials online. So I went and asked Google.
I typed in the search box, 'Dremel 4000 tutorials' and hit enter. At the top of the list was the link to my blog post for tonight. It made me chuckle, but it doesn't bode well for me finding tutorials if Google thinks I am the best source.

Ok, now off to click on some of the other links.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Getting To Know My New Dremel 4000*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Today I spent a good deal of time with the manual. More than any other tool I have bought to date, this one has a lot of things one needs to keep in mind for safety and to ensure proper use. I actually read some of the parts a couple of times.
> 
> I would implore anyone who has a Dremel, and has not read their manual to do so. If you are not convinced, then just give my blog a quick read and see if you don't discover something. If you do, then maybe you will be inclined to dust the manual off and read it cover to cover, in all 3 languages. Ok that last part doesn't matter much, but I did read some of the French pages, just for fun.
> 
> http://bit.ly/anUpJR
> 
> Be safe,
> 
> Brian


hello there Brian it´s great that you are so glad for for your new toy that you even
take the time to read the manual ,not many peolple do that.

I has own one of the small proxonmodels for maybee 25 years now ,and it still lives
but for about 6years ago I needed one with little more power so I got out to
perchase the bigger brother but for some resent I cuoldn´t get one in this part
of the country at that time ,so I had to buy the a Dremmel nr. ??? even thow
it´s a little clomsy I havn´t regret it sofare.

what I will say to you is that this kind of tools is realy only for small hobby tasks
nomatter what they promise you can do with it. and you will discover that those
cutting wheels for metal is realy fragile ,believe me I just know that,they crack so easely
becourse it´s a handhold maschine and when you handlet it you will proppely place your
wrist on the a surface so that will be the point you use to make and arch around
and the cutting wheel will jam in a snap and it will brake , 
if you havn´t brought it yet I will recoment the drill stand for it and the flex shaft
if you plan to use it regualy .

here is a little project you can make to the dremmel
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/28214
and I sure the is more on L J for the Dremmel

oooh I nearly forgot to tell you that both Proxxon and Black&Decker and other brands
asseries can bee used with Dremmel 
I know of that B&Ds metal cutting wheel shuold bee a little thicker so they shuoldn´t
be so fragile as Dremmels

One good advice use saftyglasses every time if not I can nearly promise you are going
to test ER service before you know it (don´t ask me why I know that even thow I have
pectacles since first grade)
I think this is what I have for the moment if there is anything you are in daubt of
just ask I think I have made all the mistakes there is with those kind of tools and 
proppely still do

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Getting To Know My New Dremel 4000*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Today I spent a good deal of time with the manual. More than any other tool I have bought to date, this one has a lot of things one needs to keep in mind for safety and to ensure proper use. I actually read some of the parts a couple of times.
> 
> I would implore anyone who has a Dremel, and has not read their manual to do so. If you are not convinced, then just give my blog a quick read and see if you don't discover something. If you do, then maybe you will be inclined to dust the manual off and read it cover to cover, in all 3 languages. Ok that last part doesn't matter much, but I did read some of the French pages, just for fun.
> 
> http://bit.ly/anUpJR
> 
> Be safe,
> 
> Brian


Dennisgrosen,

Great response, thanks. I didn't know about the Black & Decker accessories. I will definitely use safety glasses! I also like your point about steadying my wrist on a steady surface. Like all tools, I think that this one will require a bit of practice. Thus far all I have messed with is polishing, but it does a good job in that area. So I am happy.

I think it may be handy in doing inlays. I am not sure, but I have seen a few things online about using the Dremel in this capacity. It is exciting to explore the possibilities.

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Getting To Know My New Dremel 4000*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Today I spent a good deal of time with the manual. More than any other tool I have bought to date, this one has a lot of things one needs to keep in mind for safety and to ensure proper use. I actually read some of the parts a couple of times.
> 
> I would implore anyone who has a Dremel, and has not read their manual to do so. If you are not convinced, then just give my blog a quick read and see if you don't discover something. If you do, then maybe you will be inclined to dust the manual off and read it cover to cover, in all 3 languages. Ok that last part doesn't matter much, but I did read some of the French pages, just for fun.
> 
> http://bit.ly/anUpJR
> 
> Be safe,
> 
> Brian


Mine is not a Dremmel brand. I bought a craftsman rotary (same s… different pile). I use mine a lot. I have bits to sharpen my chain saw , (I tried the file jig - rotary works better for me). I also scooped up a shaper attachment and a router attachment at an auction. DIRT CHEAP. I do not have to many tiny router bits, plan was to make doll house furniture one day.(Grandaughters are 1 and 8, thinking I better start that project soon). I found a diamond blade that I use to sharpen my hand saws with, I was using the cutting disc but found it wasn't as accurate as the diamond wheel. 
Have fun with your Dremel , I know you are going to have so much fun using it, one day it will have a NAME ?


----------



## Ecocandle

*I finished my pushy stick thingy...*

Hello All,

After spending a rediculous amount of time on my router table pushing device I finally decided it was time to complete it and get on with my life.

http://bit.ly/cj0InC

Brian

p.s. After having read the one sentence above I realized that it was funnier than the entire post at the link above. To be completely honest, tonight's post was not my best effort. If you are interested in reading a really mediocre post, then by all means, click on the link. But know this, I warned you. I can't be held responsible for the sense of loss and anger you will feel after you have clicked on it, read the post and realized that I was right. It was a terrible waste of your time. Time that can never be recaptured.

There are 2 good pictures though.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A new project begins*

Hello LJ Buddies,

I am starting a new project today. Unlike the other projects I am not going to wing this one. I believe I have assembled all the materials I need, and I will be attempting to create a 3 in 1 jig, that will allow me to plane a surface of up to 34 inches, cut thinish laminate strips with my circular saw, and drill holes at uniform lengths that are absolutely perpendicular to the board.

So I took a picture of the starting stuff, and drove around and took more pictures of rural Iowa. That is how I like to think, while driving over the dusty gravel roads. It is relaxing.

http://bit.ly/aLtncT

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A new project begins*
> 
> Hello LJ Buddies,
> 
> I am starting a new project today. Unlike the other projects I am not going to wing this one. I believe I have assembled all the materials I need, and I will be attempting to create a 3 in 1 jig, that will allow me to plane a surface of up to 34 inches, cut thinish laminate strips with my circular saw, and drill holes at uniform lengths that are absolutely perpendicular to the board.
> 
> So I took a picture of the starting stuff, and drove around and took more pictures of rural Iowa. That is how I like to think, while driving over the dusty gravel roads. It is relaxing.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aLtncT
> 
> Brian


maybee you shuold make two jiigs instead , then it wont bee so complicated
as what you are trying to do now.
thank´s for the pictures niice landscape

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A new project begins*
> 
> Hello LJ Buddies,
> 
> I am starting a new project today. Unlike the other projects I am not going to wing this one. I believe I have assembled all the materials I need, and I will be attempting to create a 3 in 1 jig, that will allow me to plane a surface of up to 34 inches, cut thinish laminate strips with my circular saw, and drill holes at uniform lengths that are absolutely perpendicular to the board.
> 
> So I took a picture of the starting stuff, and drove around and took more pictures of rural Iowa. That is how I like to think, while driving over the dusty gravel roads. It is relaxing.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aLtncT
> 
> Brian


That isn't a bad idea and normally I would agree. For this project though, I have been thinking about it for almost a month and have 98% of it worked out in my head. It isn't going to be as difficult as I am making it out to be. Part of that is for dramatic effect.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A new project begins*
> 
> Hello LJ Buddies,
> 
> I am starting a new project today. Unlike the other projects I am not going to wing this one. I believe I have assembled all the materials I need, and I will be attempting to create a 3 in 1 jig, that will allow me to plane a surface of up to 34 inches, cut thinish laminate strips with my circular saw, and drill holes at uniform lengths that are absolutely perpendicular to the board.
> 
> So I took a picture of the starting stuff, and drove around and took more pictures of rural Iowa. That is how I like to think, while driving over the dusty gravel roads. It is relaxing.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aLtncT
> 
> Brian


well anyway I look forward to see it Brian

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A new project begins*
> 
> Hello LJ Buddies,
> 
> I am starting a new project today. Unlike the other projects I am not going to wing this one. I believe I have assembled all the materials I need, and I will be attempting to create a 3 in 1 jig, that will allow me to plane a surface of up to 34 inches, cut thinish laminate strips with my circular saw, and drill holes at uniform lengths that are absolutely perpendicular to the board.
> 
> So I took a picture of the starting stuff, and drove around and took more pictures of rural Iowa. That is how I like to think, while driving over the dusty gravel roads. It is relaxing.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aLtncT
> 
> Brian


I will do my best with the project and try to make you proud.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A new project begins*
> 
> Hello LJ Buddies,
> 
> I am starting a new project today. Unlike the other projects I am not going to wing this one. I believe I have assembled all the materials I need, and I will be attempting to create a 3 in 1 jig, that will allow me to plane a surface of up to 34 inches, cut thinish laminate strips with my circular saw, and drill holes at uniform lengths that are absolutely perpendicular to the board.
> 
> So I took a picture of the starting stuff, and drove around and took more pictures of rural Iowa. That is how I like to think, while driving over the dusty gravel roads. It is relaxing.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aLtncT
> 
> Brian


LOL, I know you will as always you will go over the edge to the exstreme )

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Don't Trust A Word*

Hello All,

What do Alfred Lord Tennyson, Bill Clinton and I have in common? Ok, not much at all. In fact, my attempt at loosely connecting the three of us, is not well executed at all. That being said, this is one of my better blog pieces. Ok, maybe it isn. I really don't know. I do know that I very much enjoyed it. I hope you will too. 

http://bit.ly/9Qqee6

Brian


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Don't Trust A Word*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> What do Alfred Lord Tennyson, Bill Clinton and I have in common? Ok, not much at all. In fact, my attempt at loosely connecting the three of us, is not well executed at all. That being said, this is one of my better blog pieces. Ok, maybe it isn. I really don't know. I do know that I very much enjoyed it. I hope you will too.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Qqee6
> 
> Brian


Hi Brian, I'm glad you enjoyed your blog today because I didn't. It cost me probably three hours of sleep and I still don't have any idea what you're trying to make. Three tools in one, bah, can't be done. It was the quote from A,LT that really did it for me though. The last time I read his name, I didn't have Google and Wiki. This time I did and I got to find out if his name was Lord, if he thought he was Lord, or whatever. But, that wasn't enough because I was also reminded of one of my favorite poems and it was only a few clicks away. But, did you know you could listen to an actual recording of A,LT's voice reading his poems? Neither did I. Did you further know that in order to listen, you have to have RealPlayer installed? Me neither. Well that took a while to download and they had to close my browser to do the install. Do you know RealPlayer will automatically import all the media files on your computer into a Library if you click the button after the install? Too tempting so I did it. I had over 22,000 files to import. Guess that took about an hour. So, after that, I couldn't resist a brief look at the song list. Another hour. Then finally, I had to reconstruct the clickstory to the place I could listen to the poet reading a poem recorded in the 19th century. Very cool. Anyway, you need to stick to woodworking. I can't afford to loose anymore sleep.


----------



## craftsman on the lake

Ecocandle said:


> *Don't Trust A Word*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> What do Alfred Lord Tennyson, Bill Clinton and I have in common? Ok, not much at all. In fact, my attempt at loosely connecting the three of us, is not well executed at all. That being said, this is one of my better blog pieces. Ok, maybe it isn. I really don't know. I do know that I very much enjoyed it. I hope you will too.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Qqee6
> 
> Brian


Ha… good post. But, it's more like George W. Bush. "Sock and Awe" but in the end I still don't know what it was for!


----------



## Ecocandle

*Lawn Care...Woodworking's Evil Twin*

Hello Lumberjocks,

Tonight's post, on a scale of 1 to 37, is a solid 29. I am not sure if the woodworking community will care to read about my lawn adventure today, or agree that Lawn Care is the Evil twin of Woodworking, but I welcome the debate.

There is one other significant aspect to tonight's blog. I have, to some small measure, tipped the scales a little bit away from my obvious cat bias, and included a really cute picture of Maggie, the neighbor's dog. I am sure that the dog fanciers will appreciate it that I have become, albeit only slightly, less biased towards cats. Maggie is very friendly and I think she rocks.

http://bit.ly/cDEMso

Brian


----------



## davidroberts

Ecocandle said:


> *Lawn Care...Woodworking's Evil Twin*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> Tonight's post, on a scale of 1 to 37, is a solid 29. I am not sure if the woodworking community will care to read about my lawn adventure today, or agree that Lawn Care is the Evil twin of Woodworking, but I welcome the debate.
> 
> There is one other significant aspect to tonight's blog. I have, to some small measure, tipped the scales a little bit away from my obvious cat bias, and included a really cute picture of Maggie, the neighbor's dog. I am sure that the dog fanciers will appreciate it that I have become, albeit only slightly, less biased towards cats. Maggie is very friendly and I think she rocks.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cDEMso
> 
> Brian


Speaking of rocks, I prefer to grow rocks. They won't die, don't need water, or fertilizer, or pruning, won't shed leaves, won't invade into my other rocks, or poison kids, or dogs, or other rocks, won't blow away during hurricanes, or wash away, or freeze, or shrivel in the heat, won't crash into my house, or my car, they come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, and the special one, they can become your pet…


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Lawn Care...Woodworking's Evil Twin*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> Tonight's post, on a scale of 1 to 37, is a solid 29. I am not sure if the woodworking community will care to read about my lawn adventure today, or agree that Lawn Care is the Evil twin of Woodworking, but I welcome the debate.
> 
> There is one other significant aspect to tonight's blog. I have, to some small measure, tipped the scales a little bit away from my obvious cat bias, and included a really cute picture of Maggie, the neighbor's dog. I am sure that the dog fanciers will appreciate it that I have become, albeit only slightly, less biased towards cats. Maggie is very friendly and I think she rocks.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cDEMso
> 
> Brian


Don't think of it as lawn care, think of it as your own water park ! All parks have nice green grass. Kids can run through the water sprinkler on a hot day. It will be great (Keep in mind "it is all fun and games till someone starts to bleed - then it is called SPORT") Either way its a WIN -WIN situation. lol
ps. Good to hear you neglected reading INSTRUCTIONS ! I mean how exciting can the instructions be rolling out the hose !


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Lawn Care...Woodworking's Evil Twin*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> Tonight's post, on a scale of 1 to 37, is a solid 29. I am not sure if the woodworking community will care to read about my lawn adventure today, or agree that Lawn Care is the Evil twin of Woodworking, but I welcome the debate.
> 
> There is one other significant aspect to tonight's blog. I have, to some small measure, tipped the scales a little bit away from my obvious cat bias, and included a really cute picture of Maggie, the neighbor's dog. I am sure that the dog fanciers will appreciate it that I have become, albeit only slightly, less biased towards cats. Maggie is very friendly and I think she rocks.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cDEMso
> 
> Brian


that isn´t so bad after all
you just roll out to the other end and when it´s time
to move the sprinkler you just roll in 2-8 rounds depending
on how much you sprinkler cover
but remember you have to water min 1 inch 
over the hole aria every time you do it
or ells the roods will be tooo short and the grass will
turn yellow in the summer very fast
that is rule nr. 1 when you water the garden
and remember when the grass is up you can always have workbench 
out there to work on in the sun 
have a niice weeken Brian

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Lawn Care...Woodworking's Evil Twin*
> 
> Hello Lumberjocks,
> 
> Tonight's post, on a scale of 1 to 37, is a solid 29. I am not sure if the woodworking community will care to read about my lawn adventure today, or agree that Lawn Care is the Evil twin of Woodworking, but I welcome the debate.
> 
> There is one other significant aspect to tonight's blog. I have, to some small measure, tipped the scales a little bit away from my obvious cat bias, and included a really cute picture of Maggie, the neighbor's dog. I am sure that the dog fanciers will appreciate it that I have become, albeit only slightly, less biased towards cats. Maggie is very friendly and I think she rocks.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cDEMso
> 
> Brian


David,

I hadn't considered growing rocks. That is a great idea, and if I fail at the grass I will call that Plan B.

I think I am going to get lucky with a couple of days of rain. So my first few days should be ok, meanig I can't screw it up until early next week.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Tonight's blog and a bit more...*

Hello All,

I continued work on my 3 in 1 jig. I am working on the rip cutting for a circular saw portion. I was able to use the drilling jig thingies and they were a delight.

http://bit.ly/bwQhMf

I haven't mentioned it before, but I have started a second blog, which has more to do with social media. The posts are designed for beginners and tonight I wrote a funny piece on StumbleUpon. So if you like my more fanciful blog pieces, you may enjoy this one as well.

http://bit.ly/bm2h2o

Thanks,

Brian
I love blogging!


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight's blog and a bit more...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I continued work on my 3 in 1 jig. I am working on the rip cutting for a circular saw portion. I was able to use the drilling jig thingies and they were a delight.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bwQhMf
> 
> I haven't mentioned it before, but I have started a second blog, which has more to do with social media. The posts are designed for beginners and tonight I wrote a funny piece on StumbleUpon. So if you like my more fanciful blog pieces, you may enjoy this one as well.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bm2h2o
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> I love blogging!


I´m still curius how this will end 
but keep on the god work at least you will learn a lot and have fun
and that is what it´s all about in the end

Dennis


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight's blog and a bit more...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I continued work on my 3 in 1 jig. I am working on the rip cutting for a circular saw portion. I was able to use the drilling jig thingies and they were a delight.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bwQhMf
> 
> I haven't mentioned it before, but I have started a second blog, which has more to do with social media. The posts are designed for beginners and tonight I wrote a funny piece on StumbleUpon. So if you like my more fanciful blog pieces, you may enjoy this one as well.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bm2h2o
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> I love blogging!


I like the StumbleUpon button idea. 
A major stationary store was advertising the "EASY" button last holiday season.
If we could only create a "Money" button life would be gooooood.
Statistic numbers might be off. I sometimes go to your blog 2 or 3 times and read it. 
Keep bloggin, I enjoy the read.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight's blog and a bit more...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I continued work on my 3 in 1 jig. I am working on the rip cutting for a circular saw portion. I was able to use the drilling jig thingies and they were a delight.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bwQhMf
> 
> I haven't mentioned it before, but I have started a second blog, which has more to do with social media. The posts are designed for beginners and tonight I wrote a funny piece on StumbleUpon. So if you like my more fanciful blog pieces, you may enjoy this one as well.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bm2h2o
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> I love blogging!


Canadianchips,

It is ok if you go 2 or 3 times in a day, as Google Analytics knows visits and unique visits, so it doesn't mess up the numbers at all. The important thing is that you enjoy yourself. That is all I care about.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Is it A Good Deal?*



I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.

A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.

ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.

While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.

Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.

When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.

At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.

The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.

The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110


Code:


 $25.00, Stanley 220

$25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


The spokeshave is a 15 ? 
Maybe a 51 or 151 ?.
I think prices are fair. 
If you have never had a spokeshave before you are going to enjoy working with one.


----------



## davidroberts

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


Patrick Leach is probably the very best source on the web to learn about the good, and not so good hand planes. Scroll down to the bottom of his front page and go to the set of planes you want to know more about. Remember, Leach is a bit of a plane snob, but a very educated plane snob. I have bought and turned down offers to buy planes based on his words. Good luck.

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


It might have been 151, now that I think about it.


----------



## SST

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


A Stanley 220 is a $5-$10 plane. Nice, but common. The 110 about the same price, but not as useful.
If you watch ebay, you can get a handle on the going rate for these things. Not sure on the spokeshave, but that sounds a bit high unless it's a #151 with a clean blade. If the blades are pitted on any of them, I wouldn't buy them. (actually, I wouldn't buy at these prices, anyway.


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


Yeah, I know you are pretty technology savvy already, but here has been my approach. check ebay, factor in shipping, and factor in that you can look at what you are buying. Even with good photos, it is easy to overlook a flaw (like a TINY crack in the sole) unless the seller points it out. The seller doesn't usually know what they are selling though. I know I'm posting too late to help you, but let us know what you decided.

For a very reasonable price, I'd strongly recommend a book on planes. While you can learn a lot about planes on the web, a book allows you to read from start to finish without the fear of huge gaps in your foundational knowledge. No book could teach you everything there is to know about planes, or even the come close, but it can give you a good overview of how they work, what to look for in used or new planes, and how to tune/use them. Aside from that, make sure you are reading Chris Schwarz blog. You'd love his writing style and you can search for the keyword "plane" to learn a lot for free. Then you'll buy his book just like i did.


----------



## SST

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


If you continue to look for planes, another great site is : http://www.hansbrunnertools.gil.com.au/Stanley%20by%20numbers/Stanley%201.htm

The pics are great, although I have found the values he lists vary widely from actual selling prices on ebay. (Usually, his are too high; for example, I just bought a Stanley # 18 for $15.50 plus $5 shipping It looked awful with a lot of surface rust (but not deep pitting) I spent about an hour in cleanup time & it came out just about as nice as the one in Brunner's picture which he says has a value of $120). Even without the need for cleanup, you should find these for $35-50.

The comment above is valid in that you've got to figure in some shipping, but all the ebay vendors I've dealt with have been accurate in their description, or, if a little vague, will answer your questions readily & honestly, so don't be afraid to ask. Also, if you decide to get more into planes, you just can't read enough on the subject.

Have fun & be sure to wave as you go by me on the slippery slope. -SST


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


Great comments. Though sadly they came the day after I made my purchases. Oh well. I still like my planes. You can see them here. I do appreciate it though.

http://bit.ly/crbVJe


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


I'm not saying this is the case, but if someone told me I overpaid when spending $80 on four planes, I'd say "Maybe I did, but I could have done much worse." The ones you got were in pretty good starting condition. Good luck.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


It is interesting, someone who read my blog, posted the pictures of the Jack Plane on another woodworking forum and I have already been offered $160.00 for it. There is a large contingent of people who want to 'save' the Jack plane from being used, but I really love my Jack plane and I don't want to sell it. I am going to keep it and use it and love it and quite possibly blog about how I used and loved it.

It is ok if overpaid on the others, as it made me a little smarter. Next time I will be able to wheel and deal.  I consider the bit I over paid, tuition.


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


I'll admit, I've never seen one that is actually called a "jack plane" like it is labeled on the box. I always thought it was really just a number 5 being called a jack. My guess is the value is being driven by the box and manual along with the fact that it is a sweetheart plane (assuming that logo went with the jack). If it were me, I'd sell it and buy an old #3,5, and 7 with the money. We are all different though. Just out of curiosity, does the box or instructions have a date printed on them? I couldn't find anything about your plane on patrick leach's website. I'm just wondering how old it is. It doesn't look THAT old, so I wonder what makes it so valuable to someone. The large brass knob also leads me to believe that it is a "newer" old plane. If you aren't interested, don't worry about looking into it. I'm not trying to send you on any errands to satisfy my curiosity. I'm just thinking aloud here.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Is it A Good Deal?*
> 
> 
> 
> I awoke this morning and ate a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. As I sat and ate, nom nom nom, I thought about the rest of the day. This day was a 'blank sheet' and I had some 'writer's block'. I intended to work on my jig a bit, so I made a mental note on the blank page in my mind. As I stared at the sole objective it occurred to me that I needed another set of Rockler cam clamps, or as I like to call them, clampy thingies.
> 
> A trip to ACME was added to the list. That was all I needed on my list, as I was sure that other good ideas would present themselves. A quick shower and I was off. Out of AAA batteries and air filters for the furnace, I noted it and decided to keep my eyes open for a reasonable place to buy both.
> 
> ACME in Cedar Rapids has recently increased their hours on Saturday, now open until 5:00, or is it 5:30, I don't know, I just know that it is not 3:00. It is ironic that, on this day, I was not in danger of bumping up against 3:00. I arrived with all sorts of time to look around. I found my cam clamps, ran across a feather board, and then happened to see the Shop Fox set of templates. I already have this set. What was interesting is that when I saw it, I realized that my design for the router planer portion of my jig was all wrong. I didn't need to make a special base plate, I could just use the 1 inch template. The bit I had imagined using for the planing is actually 1 1/4", so it obviously wouldn't work. I picked out a lovely 3/4 Freud double flute straight bit.
> 
> While at ACME I met a delightful gentleman named Mr. Houser. He is a woodworker and turner. It was obvious that he is much more experienced than me, and we talked about lathes. I can't remember the name of his lathe, but it sounds very cool. It is made in Australia and doesn't have belts. How it keeps it's pants up, I don't know, nor did I ask. His mother was an artist who kept meticulous records and we discussed the merits of such. It did get me thinking about how I am, through the blog, actually keeping pretty good records of my projects. This made me happy.
> 
> Target called me into its big boxness and I looked about for my batteries and air filters, which I promptly found. I mentally crossed it off my list.
> 
> When downtown Marion appeared up ahead, the list suddenly included, 'shop at antique stores'. So I wondered into the Park Place Hotel Antique Mall. It is right next to the Boardwalk Hotel Antique Mall, and only a few spaces from Go. I did not pass Go, nor did I collect $200.00. In fact, I had a bit of a financial crisis.
> 
> At one of the booths there were a couple of very enticing hand planes. A Stanley 110, Stanley 220, and a Stanley 15 spokeshave. All 3 could be had for $79.00. I don't know if this is a good deal. I am hoping a reader will be able to tell me. I decided I would risk it. All three are in beautiful shape. I am sure the bottoms will need to be lapped and the blades sharpened, but to look at the bottoms they very nice. The rest of the bodies are excellent too. Now I don't now anything about antique hand planes, but I have been lusting after getting some planes, since I bought the English plane.
> 
> The problem began when she ran my debit card. It gave her a weird message that she had never seen, so she tried again, and it didn't work. I had checked my balance before leaving for the day, so I didn't know what the problem was until I got home. Both charges were pending. I called and asked her about it. It turns out that the antique mall isn't set up for debit cards and that was the problem. So I got on the phone and called PayPal and a very helpful man named Chris was able to cancel both sales. He was great, as if I had just waited for the charges to come off on their own, it would have taken 5 business days for the money to show up back in my account.
> 
> The good news is that the lady at the Antique Mall put all three items behind the counter for me. I will simply go get some cash tomorrow and then use legal tender to buy them. That is, unless the clever readers tell me I shouldn't. So the question of the day is this, is this a good deal. Stanley 110
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> $25.00, Stanley 220
> 
> $25.00 and a Stanley spokeshave @ $29.00?


The people on the other site did a bunch of looking around. One person has one, though in much worse shape, and says it is from the 30's, apparently that is when the 4 square line was out. I have checked and there aren't any dates anywhere. I don't think it has been used too much as the sticker on the handle is only partly worn away. I would think that if it had been used more that it wouldn't have lasted too long.

I appreciate your idea about selling it and buying another plane, but I think I will probably buy other planes regardless and just keep this one. I really like it. There is something about it…possibly has secret powers. Did I mention the magic genie that comes out and grants wishes? Oh well, it isn't an important detail.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I bought some Stanley stuff...*

Hello All,

I have been really wanting to get my first real plane, and today I bought 3 of them and a spokeshave. I haven't done anything to them yet, except photograph them, but I am eager to tune them up. The Stanley Jack actually had the original box and a cool advertisement for Stanley 4 Square tools. My post today was mostly done in photos.

Pictured are Stanley Jack plane, Spokeshave 51, Stanley 110, and Stanley 220.

http://bit.ly/crbVJe

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Weight of Time*

Hello All,

I have added another chapter to the Henry Wood Detective Agency mystery. I hope those that follow this story enjoy it.

http://bit.ly/dn4Y5D

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency: The Weight of Time*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have added another chapter to the Henry Wood Detective Agency mystery. I hope those that follow this story enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dn4Y5D
> 
> Brian


thank´s for the opdate of mr Henry Wood
It was a very preciated 5min. brake you gave me Thank´s

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Not Listening To One's Self*

Hello Folks,

I spent a couple of hours in the old shop today. I experienced several failures, but it is ok. I will keep trying, that is why I am focusing on building things for woodworking, because I know there will be days like this.

http://bit.ly/bNx4tG

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Another Henry Wood Episode*

Hello Folks,

I know I just did a Henry Wood episode, but here is another one.

http://bit.ly/c0Vn6D

It is the 18th chapter, for those scoring at home. If you haven't been following along, here is a link to chapter 1.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/01/henry-wood-detective-agency-ch-1/

Tomorrow I will continue to battle with my 3 in 1 jig.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Another Henry Wood Episode*
> 
> Hello Folks,
> 
> I know I just did a Henry Wood episode, but here is another one.
> 
> http://bit.ly/c0Vn6D
> 
> It is the 18th chapter, for those scoring at home. If you haven't been following along, here is a link to chapter 1.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/01/henry-wood-detective-agency-ch-1/
> 
> Tomorrow I will continue to battle with my 3 in 1 jig.
> 
> Brian


thank´s Brian niiice classic chapter
to relax with, now we wait for the next spind 
so the story can continue

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*After A Break*

Hello All,

After taking a break from woodworking last night, I got back at it with vim and no small measure of vigor. I chose to talk about woodworking in tonight's woodworking blog post, something that has been a bit rare this week. So I made a bit of progress and made it past the point of my previous blunder.

Brian

I am also testing out Digg. So this is a Digg link. This means you have the ability, if you like the post, to 'Digg' it. I am not suggesting that you will like it and in fact, I offer no guarantees. Truthfully this is probably a middle of the road post, and may not be worthy of a Digg. I leave it up to those that choose to go read it.

http://digg.com/d31PqxR


----------



## Ecocandle

*Progress on the Jig*

Hello All,

Tonight I have gotten the jig to the point that one can sort of tell what I am trying to accomplish. For those who have been following the jig, it has been pretty much a mystery what I am actually doing. Though I am not done, I did get a bunch done today.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/04/a-good-night/

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Really? 4 hours and I am not done yet.*

Hello LJ folks,

Today I bought some marble tiles, spray glue, wet dry sand paper and made sharpening slabs. I have seen many people suggest that this is a good precursor to the wet stone. So I started on the 180 grit. Now 4 hours later the back of the spokeshave blade is still not done, and I have swapped out the 180 for another piece. In the videos it always looks like they get it done rather quickly. Perhaps it is me.

So that is what I blogged about tonight. If you are curious to see what 4 hours of 180 grit will do to an antique spokeshave blade, feel free to check out the photos.

http://digg.com/d31Q0W9

ok, back to the blade. I will finish it eventually.

Brian


----------



## TimLawson

Ecocandle said:


> *Really? 4 hours and I am not done yet.*
> 
> Hello LJ folks,
> 
> Today I bought some marble tiles, spray glue, wet dry sand paper and made sharpening slabs. I have seen many people suggest that this is a good precursor to the wet stone. So I started on the 180 grit. Now 4 hours later the back of the spokeshave blade is still not done, and I have swapped out the 180 for another piece. In the videos it always looks like they get it done rather quickly. Perhaps it is me.
> 
> So that is what I blogged about tonight. If you are curious to see what 4 hours of 180 grit will do to an antique spokeshave blade, feel free to check out the photos.
> 
> http://digg.com/d31Q0W9
> 
> ok, back to the blade. I will finish it eventually.
> 
> Brian


Hi Brian,
When lapping the back of a blade or restoring a bevel you need to go to the coarsest grit that will get the job done. If there is stiill a low spot on the back of blade after a couple of minutes go coarser by one grit (150). If after a minute at 150 there is still a low spot go to 120. You may need to go as low as 80 grit to get if flat (you'll have been really unlucky with the blade). Once you've got the coarest grit that flattens the back you can then back up the grits really quickly. Don't forget to change angle at whcih you lap the blade between grits. When you've removed the 45 degree striae with a 90 degree rub you're done at that grit.

This is a situation is when sticky back sandpaper is your friend. I use the Norton Champagne paper and it works well. It's spendy (around $40 a roll) but a roll will last a long time. If you live near a marine chandlery (I do) you can buy it by the foot.

Rather than a tile I'd suggest looking for some 1/4 plate glass (not tempered) and get several pieces - 12"x6" and a 12"x12". I'd use the first as a lapping plane and the second as a honing plate. Being able to stick down multiple grits at once can save a lot of time.

Good luck

Tim


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Really? 4 hours and I am not done yet.*
> 
> Hello LJ folks,
> 
> Today I bought some marble tiles, spray glue, wet dry sand paper and made sharpening slabs. I have seen many people suggest that this is a good precursor to the wet stone. So I started on the 180 grit. Now 4 hours later the back of the spokeshave blade is still not done, and I have swapped out the 180 for another piece. In the videos it always looks like they get it done rather quickly. Perhaps it is me.
> 
> So that is what I blogged about tonight. If you are curious to see what 4 hours of 180 grit will do to an antique spokeshave blade, feel free to check out the photos.
> 
> http://digg.com/d31Q0W9
> 
> ok, back to the blade. I will finish it eventually.
> 
> Brian


What is the difference between a piece of 12" x 12" glass and 12" x 12" Marble? I am sorry I don't understand.


----------



## sbryan55

Ecocandle said:


> *Really? 4 hours and I am not done yet.*
> 
> Hello LJ folks,
> 
> Today I bought some marble tiles, spray glue, wet dry sand paper and made sharpening slabs. I have seen many people suggest that this is a good precursor to the wet stone. So I started on the 180 grit. Now 4 hours later the back of the spokeshave blade is still not done, and I have swapped out the 180 for another piece. In the videos it always looks like they get it done rather quickly. Perhaps it is me.
> 
> So that is what I blogged about tonight. If you are curious to see what 4 hours of 180 grit will do to an antique spokeshave blade, feel free to check out the photos.
> 
> http://digg.com/d31Q0W9
> 
> ok, back to the blade. I will finish it eventually.
> 
> Brian


Brian, the marble will work just as well as the plate glass. Basically you just need a flat substrate to attach the sandpaper. Marble, granite, plate glass will all work just fine.


----------



## TimLawson

Ecocandle said:


> *Really? 4 hours and I am not done yet.*
> 
> Hello LJ folks,
> 
> Today I bought some marble tiles, spray glue, wet dry sand paper and made sharpening slabs. I have seen many people suggest that this is a good precursor to the wet stone. So I started on the 180 grit. Now 4 hours later the back of the spokeshave blade is still not done, and I have swapped out the 180 for another piece. In the videos it always looks like they get it done rather quickly. Perhaps it is me.
> 
> So that is what I blogged about tonight. If you are curious to see what 4 hours of 180 grit will do to an antique spokeshave blade, feel free to check out the photos.
> 
> http://digg.com/d31Q0W9
> 
> ok, back to the blade. I will finish it eventually.
> 
> Brian


Tile to me is bathroom tile, Marble is good. Sorry for the confusion.

Tim


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Really? 4 hours and I am not done yet.*
> 
> Hello LJ folks,
> 
> Today I bought some marble tiles, spray glue, wet dry sand paper and made sharpening slabs. I have seen many people suggest that this is a good precursor to the wet stone. So I started on the 180 grit. Now 4 hours later the back of the spokeshave blade is still not done, and I have swapped out the 180 for another piece. In the videos it always looks like they get it done rather quickly. Perhaps it is me.
> 
> So that is what I blogged about tonight. If you are curious to see what 4 hours of 180 grit will do to an antique spokeshave blade, feel free to check out the photos.
> 
> http://digg.com/d31Q0W9
> 
> ok, back to the blade. I will finish it eventually.
> 
> Brian


Cool, thanks. It had seemed to be working fine, but I am still new enough that I don't take anything for granted.


----------



## Ecocandle

*More sharpening today...and I love it.*

Hello LJ,

DLMcKirdy left a comment on my blog post. I am not sure if he is a LJ or not, but since I still get many readers from here, I thought I would mention that his comment was very helpful. I suspected that I might have started at a grit that was too fine yesterday, and he gave me his rule of thumb for deciding. I took his advice today and had much better results. I really love sharpening stuff now! I am going to sharpen everything I can get my hands on, chisels, planes, carving knives, and even the neighbor's cat, if I can corral him.

Anyway, tonight's rambling is now up, for your dining and dancing pleasure.

http://bit.ly/cyJg2u

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *More sharpening today...and I love it.*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> DLMcKirdy left a comment on my blog post. I am not sure if he is a LJ or not, but since I still get many readers from here, I thought I would mention that his comment was very helpful. I suspected that I might have started at a grit that was too fine yesterday, and he gave me his rule of thumb for deciding. I took his advice today and had much better results. I really love sharpening stuff now! I am going to sharpen everything I can get my hands on, chisels, planes, carving knives, and even the neighbor's cat, if I can corral him.
> 
> Anyway, tonight's rambling is now up, for your dining and dancing pleasure.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cyJg2u
> 
> Brian


hello Brian I didn´t made a comment on your struggle with sharpening
becourse McKirdy already had covert the issue very well
and I´m glad to hear you get along with it now
I also struggled a lot with it before I discovered the nets possibillety
of learning a lot of people how to and why in the different sites
but if you don´t know it yet there is a bunch of small vidio clip on you-tube
about sharpening and how to set up the different planes and other tool as well
I do have the same feeling using a handplane I gess if you are adicted to hand
tools everybody has the same feeling when they see the result of the first
full shaving on a board

take care

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Today I Planed*

Hello LJ,

I did some practice planing today, using my Stanley 220. It is obvious that I have a ways to go before I am profecient with hand planes, but I can tell you, I am completely in love with them. Since there isn't much one can write about, when all they did was make shavings, I did a bit of creative writing as well. I hope it is somewhat enjoyable.

http://bit.ly/cplmTr

Brian


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Today I Planed*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I did some practice planing today, using my Stanley 220. It is obvious that I have a ways to go before I am profecient with hand planes, but I can tell you, I am completely in love with them. Since there isn't much one can write about, when all they did was make shavings, I did a bit of creative writing as well. I hope it is somewhat enjoyable.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cplmTr
> 
> Brian


Hi Brian

Looks like you have been staying busy…I have been meaning to ask you whats wrong with your page? It won't scroll down when your posts are new.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Today I Planed*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I did some practice planing today, using my Stanley 220. It is obvious that I have a ways to go before I am profecient with hand planes, but I can tell you, I am completely in love with them. Since there isn't much one can write about, when all they did was make shavings, I did a bit of creative writing as well. I hope it is somewhat enjoyable.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cplmTr
> 
> Brian


It won't scroll down. That is odd. I wonder if it is a browser thing. Which browser do you use?


----------



## Chelios

Ecocandle said:


> *Today I Planed*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I did some practice planing today, using my Stanley 220. It is obvious that I have a ways to go before I am profecient with hand planes, but I can tell you, I am completely in love with them. Since there isn't much one can write about, when all they did was make shavings, I did a bit of creative writing as well. I hope it is somewhat enjoyable.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cplmTr
> 
> Brian


I use windows internet explorer


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *Today I Planed*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I did some practice planing today, using my Stanley 220. It is obvious that I have a ways to go before I am profecient with hand planes, but I can tell you, I am completely in love with them. Since there isn't much one can write about, when all they did was make shavings, I did a bit of creative writing as well. I hope it is somewhat enjoyable.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cplmTr
> 
> Brian


IE8 works for me.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Today I Planed*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I did some practice planing today, using my Stanley 220. It is obvious that I have a ways to go before I am profecient with hand planes, but I can tell you, I am completely in love with them. Since there isn't much one can write about, when all they did was make shavings, I did a bit of creative writing as well. I hope it is somewhat enjoyable.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cplmTr
> 
> Brian


I don't know. It worked fine for me. I have been messing with it, and I can't seem to recreate the problem. Very strange indeed.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I have started my first drawer.*

Hello LJ,

I feel that it is time to tackle the drawer. A fairly important skill to have, and I have been practicing dovetail joints, so I am going to give it a shot. Today I cut the pieces, did some planing, and started to cut the pins.

http://bit.ly/am6BAk

Brian,

p.s. I am just curious, most days there are between 100 - 200 people who click on my LJ post, and yesterday there were 750. If anyone who reads this, is one of the non regular readers, could you please leave a comment and explain why yesterday was so interesting. I can't see it myself, it looked like the same old drivel to me.


----------



## KnifeL

Ecocandle said:


> *I have started my first drawer.*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I feel that it is time to tackle the drawer. A fairly important skill to have, and I have been practicing dovetail joints, so I am going to give it a shot. Today I cut the pieces, did some planing, and started to cut the pins.
> 
> http://bit.ly/am6BAk
> 
> Brian,
> 
> p.s. I am just curious, most days there are between 100 - 200 people who click on my LJ post, and yesterday there were 750. If anyone who reads this, is one of the non regular readers, could you please leave a comment and explain why yesterday was so interesting. I can't see it myself, it looked like the same old drivel to me.


Liked the write-up. Looking forward to your detailed blog on your dovetailing experience.


----------



## rtb

Ecocandle said:


> *I have started my first drawer.*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I feel that it is time to tackle the drawer. A fairly important skill to have, and I have been practicing dovetail joints, so I am going to give it a shot. Today I cut the pieces, did some planing, and started to cut the pins.
> 
> http://bit.ly/am6BAk
> 
> Brian,
> 
> p.s. I am just curious, most days there are between 100 - 200 people who click on my LJ post, and yesterday there were 750. If anyone who reads this, is one of the non regular readers, could you please leave a comment and explain why yesterday was so interesting. I can't see it myself, it looked like the same old drivel to me.


I agree with you. I can't understand it either


----------



## followyourheart

Ecocandle said:


> *I have started my first drawer.*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I feel that it is time to tackle the drawer. A fairly important skill to have, and I have been practicing dovetail joints, so I am going to give it a shot. Today I cut the pieces, did some planing, and started to cut the pins.
> 
> http://bit.ly/am6BAk
> 
> Brian,
> 
> p.s. I am just curious, most days there are between 100 - 200 people who click on my LJ post, and yesterday there were 750. If anyone who reads this, is one of the non regular readers, could you please leave a comment and explain why yesterday was so interesting. I can't see it myself, it looked like the same old drivel to me.


I'm non regular. But I'm a regular reader.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I have started my first drawer.*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I feel that it is time to tackle the drawer. A fairly important skill to have, and I have been practicing dovetail joints, so I am going to give it a shot. Today I cut the pieces, did some planing, and started to cut the pins.
> 
> http://bit.ly/am6BAk
> 
> Brian,
> 
> p.s. I am just curious, most days there are between 100 - 200 people who click on my LJ post, and yesterday there were 750. If anyone who reads this, is one of the non regular readers, could you please leave a comment and explain why yesterday was so interesting. I can't see it myself, it looked like the same old drivel to me.


Thanks Knifel, rtb, and Julie. I guess the other 500 people or so, didn't come back a second time.

My theory is that the data isn't correct. That seems most plausible.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Martelle's Shame*

Hello LJs in General and rtb specifically,

I have to give rtb props as his comments on the site yesterday inspired today's blog post. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, and the results of my redemptive cutting.

http://bit.ly/avngew

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Martelle's Shame*
> 
> Hello LJs in General and rtb specifically,
> 
> I have to give rtb props as his comments on the site yesterday inspired today's blog post. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, and the results of my redemptive cutting.
> 
> http://bit.ly/avngew
> 
> Brian


I really must give you points for doing all that practicing ! I have a "General Dovetail Jig" for over three years, I have not made myself the time to use it. I bought it at a tool shop back WEST, (ON SALE)Those red tags saying "ON SALE" really weaken me. Sounds like you have fun learnig and writing about the tools you have. Keep us posted , I truly enjoy reading about it.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Martelle's Shame*
> 
> Hello LJs in General and rtb specifically,
> 
> I have to give rtb props as his comments on the site yesterday inspired today's blog post. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, and the results of my redemptive cutting.
> 
> http://bit.ly/avngew
> 
> Brian


A+ for your efford of practicing
looking forward to hear about
how your progress in sawing
turn out

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Martelle's Shame*
> 
> Hello LJs in General and rtb specifically,
> 
> I have to give rtb props as his comments on the site yesterday inspired today's blog post. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, and the results of my redemptive cutting.
> 
> http://bit.ly/avngew
> 
> Brian


Thanks Dennisgrosen and canadianchips.

I like your new avatar Dennis.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Martelle's Shame*
> 
> Hello LJs in General and rtb specifically,
> 
> I have to give rtb props as his comments on the site yesterday inspired today's blog post. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, and the results of my redemptive cutting.
> 
> http://bit.ly/avngew
> 
> Brian


just a funny picture from a newyear evening 2 or 3 years ago I think my daughter toke it
I thought L J s wanted somethiong to smile at

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Long day...short blog*

Hello All,

I just rambled on briefly tonight. Sadly, I didn't make it to my practice session I promised yesterday.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/law-number-one/

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Long day...short blog*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just rambled on briefly tonight. Sadly, I didn't make it to my practice session I promised yesterday.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/law-number-one/
> 
> Brian


Good call. If your heart ain't in it , WHY DO IT ? Without even knowing it ,you just gave some very good example. Why push yourself to do a job with dangerous tools when you are not completely i"nto it". That is when accidents seem to happen. Have a good week-end in Des Moines !


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Long day...short blog*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just rambled on briefly tonight. Sadly, I didn't make it to my practice session I promised yesterday.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/law-number-one/
> 
> Brian


everybody rich the point when it´s best to just lay down all work
and stop thinking for a while
now take friday of and the weekend use it to relax with your parents
and golf is like fishing at the coast in a good wind with some waves
you realy have to consentrate on every throw you do
and becourse there is no room for other thoughts and the wind
blowing (it´s like a zen thing ) it will empty your brain and body from
all the tress build up thrugh time
I never fish when the sun is high and no wind , I like it when the
nature is a little gruncy

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Long day...short blog*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just rambled on briefly tonight. Sadly, I didn't make it to my practice session I promised yesterday.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/law-number-one/
> 
> Brian


I am glad you both understand. I was feeling a little bit bad about putting up such a lousy blog post. After I stop in and give the link to the post, I head from LJ over to Twitter and do the same.

Tonight's twitter tweet was actually more entertaining than the blog itself.

On Twitter: I quote "For those who follow my blog, tonight's post was a horrible disappointment. I am not even giving you the link."

That made me chuckle.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Antique Hand Planes*

Hello LJ,

Tonight I am late, because I have been looking and purchasing some beautiful hand planes. There were some that were well beyond my price range, but if you like extremely rare planes, I describe a few of them, and I could put you in contact with the gentleman.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/acceptable-excuse-for-late-post/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Antique Hand Planes*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> Tonight I am late, because I have been looking and purchasing some beautiful hand planes. There were some that were well beyond my price range, but if you like extremely rare planes, I describe a few of them, and I could put you in contact with the gentleman.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/acceptable-excuse-for-late-post/
> 
> Brian


congrat´s with your new planes 
and a lecture in the oldschool
it realy sound like you had a great day

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Antique Hand Planes*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> Tonight I am late, because I have been looking and purchasing some beautiful hand planes. There were some that were well beyond my price range, but if you like extremely rare planes, I describe a few of them, and I could put you in contact with the gentleman.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/acceptable-excuse-for-late-post/
> 
> Brian


I really did have a great day. He is a brilliant craftsman. I learned a bunch and had a lot of fun.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I have a question for you...*

Hello LJ,

In today's blog post there is a fish mentioned and a Stanley 45. I have a question about the Stanley 45. It is multiple choice, and won't count towards your mid-term grade.

http://bit.ly/9sqMQc

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I have a question for you...*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> In today's blog post there is a fish mentioned and a Stanley 45. I have a question about the Stanley 45. It is multiple choice, and won't count towards your mid-term grade.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9sqMQc
> 
> Brian


fishing with rod and reel is an art to master
and to restore a plane to be a good user can be a chalange but is artistic in it self
so they cuold very well have met in West Des Moines at the gallry looking at Picaso

for the cheisel you shuold have snaped it , you cuold use a drill (the poor mans lathe)
or use drawknife and spokeshave to make a new handle

give your mother a plesent day she deserve it , after all she raised you lol

Dennis


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *I have a question for you...*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> In today's blog post there is a fish mentioned and a Stanley 45. I have a question about the Stanley 45. It is multiple choice, and won't count towards your mid-term grade.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9sqMQc
> 
> Brian


In all my travels I have not seen many of these ! 
I started with one, then two, when doing research I realized there were 20 "types" made. Now my goal was to have every"TYPE". I am waiting for you to buy it. They do take some setting up. I use mine for beading, not much call for beading in my work so far, I will be ready when the day comes. I know you will enjoy playing with one of these.
My opinion is bias.
YES go buy it .


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I have a question for you...*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> In today's blog post there is a fish mentioned and a Stanley 45. I have a question about the Stanley 45. It is multiple choice, and won't count towards your mid-term grade.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9sqMQc
> 
> Brian


Sadly, the votes were 3 - 1 against buying it. So I saved my money, but someday I will buy one, I can assure you of that.


----------



## SST

Ecocandle said:


> *I have a question for you...*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> In today's blog post there is a fish mentioned and a Stanley 45. I have a question about the Stanley 45. It is multiple choice, and won't count towards your mid-term grade.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9sqMQc
> 
> Brian


Wow, I never get here in time to affect (effect) your decision, but at least allow me to affirm your not making the purchase. You really need to stop going to antique shops for tools, or if you do, watch ebay for a while as it seems to be a good resource to track availability & prices. Have a great day. -SST


----------



## Ecocandle

*Happy Mother's Day*

Hello All Mommy LJ's…and the rest too,

I had a nice day with mom and dad. Then when I got back home I did some practicing on my 100 line cuts. 20 cuts down and I am happy thus far. I included a couple of pictures. I hope you enjoyed the post, it was a better than average one, if I do say so myself.

http://bit.ly/aVbmcz

Brian


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *Happy Mother's Day*
> 
> Hello All Mommy LJ's…and the rest too,
> 
> I had a nice day with mom and dad. Then when I got back home I did some practicing on my 100 line cuts. 20 cuts down and I am happy thus far. I included a couple of pictures. I hope you enjoyed the post, it was a better than average one, if I do say so myself.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aVbmcz
> 
> Brian


I can understand not involving breakfast and brunch, but how did you avoid the age old question of dinner or supper.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Happy Mother's Day*
> 
> Hello All Mommy LJ's…and the rest too,
> 
> I had a nice day with mom and dad. Then when I got back home I did some practicing on my 100 line cuts. 20 cuts down and I am happy thus far. I included a couple of pictures. I hope you enjoyed the post, it was a better than average one, if I do say so myself.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aVbmcz
> 
> Brian


Supper is metric.


----------



## tunkvalleycustomwood

Ecocandle said:


> *Happy Mother's Day*
> 
> Hello All Mommy LJ's…and the rest too,
> 
> I had a nice day with mom and dad. Then when I got back home I did some practicing on my 100 line cuts. 20 cuts down and I am happy thus far. I included a couple of pictures. I hope you enjoyed the post, it was a better than average one, if I do say so myself.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aVbmcz
> 
> Brian


hey brian if i may. the way it was explained to me while living on a large cattle ranch in montana some many moons ago.
when noon time came around we would head in to the main ranch house where a sweet old lady that had been the cook at the ranch for most of her 80 years as well as her mother before was the cook there she explained to me that we were eating dinner and supper was the meal that was eaten in the evening time.the word lunch was a european name if i remember right came from the french.i could be wrong though.this was a homesteaded ranch and the original brothers were welsh and to this day the same family still ownes this ranch.i spent many years on this ranch and every day was a learning experiance in history.i do have to say that i dont think the terms dinner and lunch have any thing to do with volume because every meal there was enough food on the table to feed a small army and you never went away from the table hungry.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Happy Mother's Day*
> 
> Hello All Mommy LJ's…and the rest too,
> 
> I had a nice day with mom and dad. Then when I got back home I did some practicing on my 100 line cuts. 20 cuts down and I am happy thus far. I included a couple of pictures. I hope you enjoyed the post, it was a better than average one, if I do say so myself.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aVbmcz
> 
> Brian


Tunk Valley Custom Woodwork,

I suspect you are correct about the volume, and that is why I chose to mock my mother. She told me that she very much enjoyed the blog post and the mocking. I will pass your story on to her, she will like it.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Your Horoscope is ready...*

Hello LJs,

Many years ago, I started to write as a way to entertain my friends at GEICO. I would often compose a set of horoscopes and send them to the those with an odd since of humor. Tonight's blog discusses my continued practice with cuts, but quickly degrades into a set of horoscopes. I hope you enjoy.

http://bit.ly/aEKJsr

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Your Horoscope is ready...*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Many years ago, I started to write as a way to entertain my friends at GEICO. I would often compose a set of horoscopes and send them to the those with an odd since of humor. Tonight's blog discusses my continued practice with cuts, but quickly degrades into a set of horoscopes. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aEKJsr
> 
> Brian


Fun stuff Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Your Horoscope is ready...*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Many years ago, I started to write as a way to entertain my friends at GEICO. I would often compose a set of horoscopes and send them to the those with an odd since of humor. Tonight's blog discusses my continued practice with cuts, but quickly degrades into a set of horoscopes. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aEKJsr
> 
> Brian


Thanks a1Jim…I hope you weren't too disappointed in your horoscope.


----------



## tunkvalleycustomwood

Ecocandle said:


> *Your Horoscope is ready...*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Many years ago, I started to write as a way to entertain my friends at GEICO. I would often compose a set of horoscopes and send them to the those with an odd since of humor. Tonight's blog discusses my continued practice with cuts, but quickly degrades into a set of horoscopes. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aEKJsr
> 
> Brian


ohh man brian your posts are awsome i love reading them and always end up laughing my butt off.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Your Horoscope is ready...*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Many years ago, I started to write as a way to entertain my friends at GEICO. I would often compose a set of horoscopes and send them to the those with an odd since of humor. Tonight's blog discusses my continued practice with cuts, but quickly degrades into a set of horoscopes. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aEKJsr
> 
> Brian


Tunk Valley Custom Woodworks,

I am glad you enjoyed it. My sense of humor is, as some would say, 'An acquired taste.' Sadly, once you acquire it, it often requires penicillin to get rid of, but don't take my word for it, please consult a physician.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*More Henry Wood*

Hello LJ,

The latest chapter of the Henry Wood saga is up. I hope, those of you who are following it, that you enjoy. http://bit.ly/akVOlE

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> The latest chapter of the Henry Wood saga is up. I hope, those of you who are following it, that you enjoy. http://bit.ly/akVOlE
> 
> Brian


thank´s for the surpricing turn , but a secret is only a secret if 1 know the thing 

Dennis


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> The latest chapter of the Henry Wood saga is up. I hope, those of you who are following it, that you enjoy. http://bit.ly/akVOlE
> 
> Brian


"The room smelled of cheap cigars and loneliness" 
"the sky started to sprinkle a fresh coat of snow"

Nice work,
Jim

PS - I still can't post comments at your blog. I did notice with anticipation the check box. Is that the cause of the problem?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> The latest chapter of the Henry Wood saga is up. I hope, those of you who are following it, that you enjoy. http://bit.ly/akVOlE
> 
> Brian


Outputter,

I have no idea how I have screwed up the comments on the site. I have been trying to fix it, but alas, I have failed. I will give it another go tomorrow.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*More from the Mystery Series*

Hello All,

I was on fire tonight. I know I just did a Henry Wood yesterday, but I got on a roll and did another one.

http://bit.ly/dBSA2P

I actually thought tonight's chapter was pretty good writing. I hope you enjoy it.

Brian


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *More from the Mystery Series*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I was on fire tonight. I know I just did a Henry Wood yesterday, but I got on a roll and did another one.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dBSA2P
> 
> I actually thought tonight's chapter was pretty good writing. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Brian


Does Bobby have papers for days in the future on the top of his stack? Does he know who will win the world series?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *More from the Mystery Series*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I was on fire tonight. I know I just did a Henry Wood yesterday, but I got on a roll and did another one.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dBSA2P
> 
> I actually thought tonight's chapter was pretty good writing. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Brian


Oluf,

You are a wise man, but I can neither confirm or deny your hypothesis, you will just have to wait.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *More from the Mystery Series*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I was on fire tonight. I know I just did a Henry Wood yesterday, but I got on a roll and did another one.
> 
> http://bit.ly/dBSA2P
> 
> I actually thought tonight's chapter was pretty good writing. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Brian


Hmm !


----------



## Ecocandle

*Stanley 4 1/2*

Hello All,

I have begun to tune up my Stanley 4 1/2. Though I am not done, I did get the blade pretty sharp, and decided to take a break to play with it a bit. I couldn't resist the temptation. I took a couple of pictures. I love my new plane.

http://bit.ly/ayeAr9

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Stanley 4 1/2*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to tune up my Stanley 4 1/2. Though I am not done, I did get the blade pretty sharp, and decided to take a break to play with it a bit. I couldn't resist the temptation. I took a couple of pictures. I love my new plane.
> 
> http://bit.ly/ayeAr9
> 
> Brian


FYI, Your cookie manager (CAPCHA?) on your website seems to be "out of order" and wouldn't let me post a comment in your blog entry above. Just curious, how do you use cookie info?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Stanley 4 1/2*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to tune up my Stanley 4 1/2. Though I am not done, I did get the blade pretty sharp, and decided to take a break to play with it a bit. I couldn't resist the temptation. I took a couple of pictures. I love my new plane.
> 
> http://bit.ly/ayeAr9
> 
> Brian


Bill,

I was getting a bunch of viagra spam, and tried to fix it today, now the comments are broken. Hopefully I can undo the mess tomorrow. I am sorry.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Stanley 4 1/2*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to tune up my Stanley 4 1/2. Though I am not done, I did get the blade pretty sharp, and decided to take a break to play with it a bit. I couldn't resist the temptation. I took a couple of pictures. I love my new plane.
> 
> http://bit.ly/ayeAr9
> 
> Brian


looks like you got yourself a good plane there Brian 
nothing wrong with the shaves as fare as I can see…....lol

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Stanley 4 1/2*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to tune up my Stanley 4 1/2. Though I am not done, I did get the blade pretty sharp, and decided to take a break to play with it a bit. I couldn't resist the temptation. I took a couple of pictures. I love my new plane.
> 
> http://bit.ly/ayeAr9
> 
> Brian


Thanks Dennis…I may be over doing it with regards to the lapping and all, but I really want it to get a bit more shinny. I am not sure if having it to the point of a mirror surface matters or not, but I get such joy from it when it is done, I figure, it can't hurt.

The other plane, the 5, is even better. It is stamped Aug 21, 1869, and is so incredibly balanced it is amazing. It isn't a Stanley…but…well…I don't want to give too much away. It might spoil a future blog post.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Stanley 4 1/2*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to tune up my Stanley 4 1/2. Though I am not done, I did get the blade pretty sharp, and decided to take a break to play with it a bit. I couldn't resist the temptation. I took a couple of pictures. I love my new plane.
> 
> http://bit.ly/ayeAr9
> 
> Brian


understandeble Brian
i just toke a look at your shavings again
becourse Nr. 4 is a smothing plane you shuold consider
to make the shaving even thinner so you nearly can look thrugh them
but all about those tuning things you can read in Chris swchars blog and book

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Stanley 4 1/2*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to tune up my Stanley 4 1/2. Though I am not done, I did get the blade pretty sharp, and decided to take a break to play with it a bit. I couldn't resist the temptation. I took a couple of pictures. I love my new plane.
> 
> http://bit.ly/ayeAr9
> 
> Brian


I wasn't sure how thin they should be, so I tried a bunch of different settings, getting progressively thicker. So I am sure the thickest were on the top of the pile. It did a nice job with the thin ones too. It is good to know that I should be striving for the thin. Thanks.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I will not be mocked...ok...maybe I will.*

Hello all,

After 3 hours of lapping on my 143 year old no 5, it is, well…still not done.

http://bit.ly/9IsKGB It mocks me. But there are some pictures. And I have made a bit of progress on that tough old steel.

Brian


----------



## TimLawson

Ecocandle said:


> *I will not be mocked...ok...maybe I will.*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> After 3 hours of lapping on my 143 year old no 5, it is, well…still not done.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9IsKGB It mocks me. But there are some pictures. And I have made a bit of progress on that tough old steel.
> 
> Brian


3 hours of lapping seems pretty extreme. What grit are you using? It looks like you are using wet and dry. I'd recommend considering using much coarser grits. I use Norton's Champagne sticky back papers - they go as coarse as 80 and that removes the unflat parts pretty quickly. Good luck.

Tim


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I will not be mocked...ok...maybe I will.*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> After 3 hours of lapping on my 143 year old no 5, it is, well…still not done.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9IsKGB It mocks me. But there are some pictures. And I have made a bit of progress on that tough old steel.
> 
> Brian


Tim,

I am using 80 grit. It is amazing how tough it is to make progress. I have even switched to a brand new sheet of 80 once.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I will not be mocked...ok...maybe I will.*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> After 3 hours of lapping on my 143 year old no 5, it is, well…still not done.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9IsKGB It mocks me. But there are some pictures. And I have made a bit of progress on that tough old steel.
> 
> Brian


Brian for the first you have to have a much much longer sandpaper 
from the picture it looks like you hollow the sole with the short sandpaper
and if you from start put on the sole some bluecolour from a marker all
over the sole then you can see the progress of your laping 
and just after a few strok you can see where and how much you have 
to work and use that marker a lot

I learned from Sauer+Steiner toolworks site how Konrad do it
he toke five stroke sideway and then turned the plane and toke
five strokes the other way so he was sure he didn´t tilted the plane
under laping and that man know what he is talking about
he builds inlayplanes and lives at it

but there is a few vidioclips in the FWW and on you-tube 
about tuning a plane and they are a hell lot beeter than I am
to explain you how to do it

I have just bought a granit plate there is I think 4 inch thick
1½ X 4 foot that I´m going to use as a lapingtable and sharpeningstation

stay tuned my freind

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I will not be mocked...ok...maybe I will.*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> After 3 hours of lapping on my 143 year old no 5, it is, well…still not done.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9IsKGB It mocks me. But there are some pictures. And I have made a bit of progress on that tough old steel.
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

That is a great idea for how to approach it. I think I am going to stop with what I have done. I have checked and it is still fine, it isn't tilted. I also sharpened the blade and used the plane a bit last night, and it works really well. So it seems like I should probably be happy and not worry if the entire bottom isn't shinny like a mirror.

But that being said, this isn't my last plane purchase. For the next one, I will definitely use your idea.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*If you hate William Faulkner...*

Hello LJs,

Tonight I wrote a 'stream of consciousness' blog pieces. If you hated reading William Faulkner in school, you will find tonight's post to be painful. It does have an exciting ending. So I really can't say if I am recommending you bother checking it out or not. I guess I leave it up to you to determine your own fate and how you chose to spend the next 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/i-think-therefore-i-rant/

Brian


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *If you hate William Faulkner...*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Tonight I wrote a 'stream of consciousness' blog pieces. If you hated reading William Faulkner in school, you will find tonight's post to be painful. It does have an exciting ending. So I really can't say if I am recommending you bother checking it out or not. I guess I leave it up to you to determine your own fate and how you chose to spend the next 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/i-think-therefore-i-rant/
> 
> Brian


Why is the monkey always the trouble maker? If they can get Greg interested in baseball he can replace all his anger with passionate frustration.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *If you hate William Faulkner...*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> Tonight I wrote a 'stream of consciousness' blog pieces. If you hated reading William Faulkner in school, you will find tonight's post to be painful. It does have an exciting ending. So I really can't say if I am recommending you bother checking it out or not. I guess I leave it up to you to determine your own fate and how you chose to spend the next 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/i-think-therefore-i-rant/
> 
> Brian


Oluf,

I suppose I could choose an angry marsupial, as the trouble maker, but monkey is just such a funny word. I really do need to chose different funny words now and again.

Thanks for reading,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*No Woodworking Today*

Hello LJ,

Today I hung out with friends, golfed and met Gwyn, who is almost 3. It was a delightful day, but didn't include any woodworking stuff. Sorry.

http://bit.ly/9sJCH9

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *No Woodworking Today*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> Today I hung out with friends, golfed and met Gwyn, who is almost 3. It was a delightful day, but didn't include any woodworking stuff. Sorry.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9sJCH9
> 
> Brian


sounds like a grand day


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *No Woodworking Today*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> Today I hung out with friends, golfed and met Gwyn, who is almost 3. It was a delightful day, but didn't include any woodworking stuff. Sorry.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9sJCH9
> 
> Brian


yep , sounds good ,

so who did better on the course ,

you ,
or ,
Gwyn ? lol


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *No Woodworking Today*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> Today I hung out with friends, golfed and met Gwyn, who is almost 3. It was a delightful day, but didn't include any woodworking stuff. Sorry.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9sJCH9
> 
> Brian


LOL…well I am sure Gwyn would have won, had she come with us. Her energy and cuteness would have probably put the course under her spell.

I shot a 44.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Back to Some Woodworking*

Hey There Folks,

I mostly goofed around this weekend. So today was fun as I got back into the woodworking. I went to ACME Tools, bought 2 small bits of popular and got to use my Stanley 4 1/2 for something other than making practice shavings. I am pretty fired up.

http://bit.ly/bWQTzY

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Back to Some Woodworking*
> 
> Hey There Folks,
> 
> I mostly goofed around this weekend. So today was fun as I got back into the woodworking. I went to ACME Tools, bought 2 small bits of popular and got to use my Stanley 4 1/2 for something other than making practice shavings. I am pretty fired up.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bWQTzY
> 
> Brian


good to see Brian
loking forward to what you come up with this time…....
it can be seen you have practis with the saw
you are already better than I am or maybee I just overthink it to much
instead of just doing it any way I still enjoy doing it unplugged

Dennis


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Back to Some Woodworking*
> 
> Hey There Folks,
> 
> I mostly goofed around this weekend. So today was fun as I got back into the woodworking. I went to ACME Tools, bought 2 small bits of popular and got to use my Stanley 4 1/2 for something other than making practice shavings. I am pretty fired up.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bWQTzY
> 
> Brian


I am wishing you would have purchased the 45. Would like to read about you practicing with one of those. 
I do enjoy your blogs.
by the way !!!!! In my area we drink soda pop ! 
Some drink wobbly pop.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Back to Some Woodworking*
> 
> Hey There Folks,
> 
> I mostly goofed around this weekend. So today was fun as I got back into the woodworking. I went to ACME Tools, bought 2 small bits of popular and got to use my Stanley 4 1/2 for something other than making practice shavings. I am pretty fired up.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bWQTzY
> 
> Brian


hey Brian
I don´t know if you have seen this blog , but take a look at Blakes tecnic with Dovtails

http://lumberjocks.com/Blake/blog/15788

I think for us weekendwaoriers it´s must be the best help to do it dead on

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Back to Some Woodworking*
> 
> Hey There Folks,
> 
> I mostly goofed around this weekend. So today was fun as I got back into the woodworking. I went to ACME Tools, bought 2 small bits of popular and got to use my Stanley 4 1/2 for something other than making practice shavings. I am pretty fired up.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bWQTzY
> 
> Brian


Canadianchips,

I will make an effort to pick up a 45 someday, and then I can blog about it. I have heard they are difficult to set up and use, but once one masters them, they are pretty cool.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Practice Worked*

Hello All,

I think this is the best set of Pins I have ever cut. In fact, I am sure of it, as I haven't cut that many. Are they perfect? No, but as long as I keep improving, and having fun, it is all good. I even took a photo of one of the set of pins, before I finished cleaning it up, at a point where I would have probably thought I was done before. Now I know I can do better, so I keep working. I love this stuff.

http://bit.ly/bIy4HK

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *The Practice Worked*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I think this is the best set of Pins I have ever cut. In fact, I am sure of it, as I haven't cut that many. Are they perfect? No, but as long as I keep improving, and having fun, it is all good. I even took a photo of one of the set of pins, before I finished cleaning it up, at a point where I would have probably thought I was done before. Now I know I can do better, so I keep working. I love this stuff.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bIy4HK
> 
> Brian


enjoy


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Practice Worked*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I think this is the best set of Pins I have ever cut. In fact, I am sure of it, as I haven't cut that many. Are they perfect? No, but as long as I keep improving, and having fun, it is all good. I even took a photo of one of the set of pins, before I finished cleaning it up, at a point where I would have probably thought I was done before. Now I know I can do better, so I keep working. I love this stuff.
> 
> http://bit.ly/bIy4HK
> 
> Brian


I do feel like I continue to make progress. I do know that I am enjoying every moment.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I rescued some wood today.*

Hello LJ's,

Today I worked on my dovetail cutting, which was fun and humbling. I also rescued some wood. I don't know what to do with the wood. It is silver maple. I am really puzzled, but alas, I couldn't let it just get burned up.

http://bit.ly/9r8qIc

Brian


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *I rescued some wood today.*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I worked on my dovetail cutting, which was fun and humbling. I also rescued some wood. I don't know what to do with the wood. It is silver maple. I am really puzzled, but alas, I couldn't let it just get burned up.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9r8qIc
> 
> Brian


Brian; The first thing you need to do to your new found wood is to seal the ends of the logs. Any old latex paint will do. This will help prevent cracking and checking of the logs as they dry. Some of those logs appare to be limbs, and as such may not be stable when sawed into boards. The fibers in the limbs of trees are subject to great bending pressure in their before life. These same pressures are not found in the vertical growth. Never fear ,however, you have done a good thing saving the wood from the fire of damnation. Be proud and have fun.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I rescued some wood today.*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I worked on my dovetail cutting, which was fun and humbling. I also rescued some wood. I don't know what to do with the wood. It is silver maple. I am really puzzled, but alas, I couldn't let it just get burned up.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9r8qIc
> 
> Brian


hello there Brian I liked your blog today 
glad to see you got some frebee
and that you got yourself a new freind

about the wood you shuold seal the ends with wax or paint soon as possiple (yesterday)
and take the bark of becourse it´s the entrenceway for the bugs to the wood

then you cuold use a froe http://lumberjocks.com/projects/32192 to slice them
or a copple of wedges to split them so they will dry in 2-3 years
if you let them bee as now they proppebly will bee dry around the time you 
build your sawmill …....lol

Dennis


----------



## Blake

Ecocandle said:


> *I rescued some wood today.*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I worked on my dovetail cutting, which was fun and humbling. I also rescued some wood. I don't know what to do with the wood. It is silver maple. I am really puzzled, but alas, I couldn't let it just get burned up.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9r8qIc
> 
> Brian


Hmmm, interesting. I have a different approach that you might try.

When you cut a tail, you are sawing down at an angle, making sure to follow the line the whole way. You also have to look at the line on the side of the board the whole time you saw, which means your eye level should be down at your bench. Its a very unnatural thing for your brain and hand and wrist and eyes and back to do. You also have to get used to sawing down that subtle slant in one direction, and then turn around and do it the other way. Most people are dominant in only one eye, and our hands/wrists are not symmetrical (what if they were? ...ew.) So inconsistencies are inevitable in this flip flop unless you close one eye and do the right slanting cuts, and then close the other eye and switch hands for the lefts. The Cyclops was good at dovetailing. And bowling.

But why not cut the tails first? The pins are easier. When you cut a pin, you line up your saw with the angle you've marked on the top edge (endgrain) of your board. Then you just cut straight down every time. You don't even have to watch the road. Straight down. Straight down. And this way the inconsistencies in those pesky tails get celebrated instead of scorned.

Happy woodworking blog guy


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I rescued some wood today.*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I worked on my dovetail cutting, which was fun and humbling. I also rescued some wood. I don't know what to do with the wood. It is silver maple. I am really puzzled, but alas, I couldn't let it just get burned up.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9r8qIc
> 
> Brian


Thanks for the tip Blake, every little bit helps.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I try to be honest...*

Hello LJs,

My blog post is up, it is fair writing, but nothing to do with woodworking today. I try to let the LJ community know when they shouldn't bother. This might be one of those times. I did write a really great blog piece today, just not for my blog. It sort of sapped all my creative juices and left me worn out and sleepy.

I will do better tomorrow.

http://bit.ly/aLVtn6

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Poor Effort Today*

Hey,

I have blogged….it is probably not worth reading…poor effort today.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/a-wake-of-green/

I am just beat.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*A bit of creative writing today...*

LJs,

I did a bit of creative writing to arrive at the point where I talked about my woodworking.

http://bit.ly/cuvtKQ

Brian


----------



## RogerH

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit of creative writing today...*
> 
> LJs,
> 
> I did a bit of creative writing to arrive at the point where I talked about my woodworking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cuvtKQ
> 
> Brian


Hi Brian,
I've been following your blog since the start, but this is my first comment. Great writing and this is always something I look to read each morning when I get up. 
I was a little disappointed today only due to the lack of pictures of the Russian Spy, or the rosewood box or the plane. 
Keep up with the enjoyable posts. 
Roger


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit of creative writing today...*
> 
> LJs,
> 
> I did a bit of creative writing to arrive at the point where I talked about my woodworking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cuvtKQ
> 
> Brian


Roger,

Yes, I was limited by being at my parents place this weekend. I didn't have the ability to do much in the way of photography. I am pleased you like the blog though. I agree that it is better when their is an image.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Ok, now I have a picture up.*

Hello LJ's,

I have to admit, yesterday's post, well I 'mailed it in'. Not my best effort. Being at my parent's house, I didn't really get to doing any images, which was too bad. So tonight I made up for it with 3 nice shots. I think you will agree, the tiny shoulder plane is pretty cool looking.

http://bit.ly/aJ7liH

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Ok, now I have a picture up.*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have to admit, yesterday's post, well I 'mailed it in'. Not my best effort. Being at my parent's house, I didn't really get to doing any images, which was too bad. So tonight I made up for it with 3 nice shots. I think you will agree, the tiny shoulder plane is pretty cool looking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aJ7liH
> 
> Brian


sorry I don't follow links glad you like your plane


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Ok, now I have a picture up.*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have to admit, yesterday's post, well I 'mailed it in'. Not my best effort. Being at my parent's house, I didn't really get to doing any images, which was too bad. So tonight I made up for it with 3 nice shots. I think you will agree, the tiny shoulder plane is pretty cool looking.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aJ7liH
> 
> Brian


I know, you have said before that you are 'leary' of clicking on links. I completely understand.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Pissed Off*

Hey,

I am, as the title suggests, in a foul mood. Stupid Dovetails!

http://bit.ly/dzhW5o

Brian


----------



## BarbS

Ecocandle said:


> *Pissed Off*
> 
> Hey,
> 
> I am, as the title suggests, in a foul mood. Stupid Dovetails!
> 
> http://bit.ly/dzhW5o
> 
> Brian


Well, sorry you've disappointed yourself so deeply. And you say no words will assuage your feelings, so… I hope you get over it soon and get back to work! I'm sure your box is worth another try.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Pissed Off*
> 
> Hey,
> 
> I am, as the title suggests, in a foul mood. Stupid Dovetails!
> 
> http://bit.ly/dzhW5o
> 
> Brian


Thanks barbs. I do appreciate the support. I will recover, with a few cookies and some mindless TV. Tomorrow is another day.


----------



## tunkvalleycustomwood

Ecocandle said:


> *Pissed Off*
> 
> Hey,
> 
> I am, as the title suggests, in a foul mood. Stupid Dovetails!
> 
> http://bit.ly/dzhW5o
> 
> Brian


the beauty of wood working is that there is always that margin of error.and the frustration that comes with it.but on the other hand there is always the satisfaction of taking the peice that you screwed up on to the back of the shop and beating the living hell out of it with a hammer.afterwords haveing a nice glass of wine around the small fire that once was the peice and then going back and redoing it again and again till you have it right.well it has always worked for me and the neighbors no longer call the fire dept when something is burning in my front lot infront of the shop.


----------



## boboswin

Ecocandle said:


> *Pissed Off*
> 
> Hey,
> 
> I am, as the title suggests, in a foul mood. Stupid Dovetails!
> 
> http://bit.ly/dzhW5o
> 
> Brian


Wax on Wax off. ;-)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Pissed Off*
> 
> Hey,
> 
> I am, as the title suggests, in a foul mood. Stupid Dovetails!
> 
> http://bit.ly/dzhW5o
> 
> Brian


LOL…Bob #2…you get me. Thanks.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Pissed Off*
> 
> Hey,
> 
> I am, as the title suggests, in a foul mood. Stupid Dovetails!
> 
> http://bit.ly/dzhW5o
> 
> Brian


Tunk Valley Custom Woodworks,

You seem to have a very good philosophy, and a good sense of humor. It is much appreciated.

Brian


----------



## tunkvalleycustomwood

Ecocandle said:


> *Pissed Off*
> 
> Hey,
> 
> I am, as the title suggests, in a foul mood. Stupid Dovetails!
> 
> http://bit.ly/dzhW5o
> 
> Brian


brian if i didnt i would have ran my self through the planer by now


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Pissed Off*
> 
> Hey,
> 
> I am, as the title suggests, in a foul mood. Stupid Dovetails!
> 
> http://bit.ly/dzhW5o
> 
> Brian


cut all four corners of and re do a smaller box 
but don´t cut corners this time


----------



## Ecocandle

*Loved the Ideas*

Hello All,

I enjoyed my woodworking practice today. Much more than yesterday's debacle. Several of the comments were right on the mark and I am going to continue to practice my dovetails, but will focus more on quantity right now, and not obsess about quality, as I was doing. Just like everything it takes a lot of repetition. So I started some more dovetails tonight. I also made a discovery about the chisels I was using.

http://bit.ly/aJ0xCv

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Best Dovetail Yet*

Hello LJ's

Night two of my 30 days of dovetails yielded my best result yet. I still have a long ways to go, to be sure, but this is the first result which actually makes me happy. So I am having fun. Making progress is really helpful in keeping me motivated.

http://bit.ly/9oQa4M

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Camel Fears*

Hello LJs,

As some of you know, on occassion, I tend to drift off topic and do a bit of creative writing. Today was such a day. There is a bit of back story here. My favorite blog in the entire world is entitled 'Slummy Single Mummy', and it one of a billion mommy blogs on the internet.

I am single, male, 43, no children. I am not her demographic. Every once in a while I stumble across a gem of a writer, and Jo is such a find. She has a writing style that is incredibly entertaining. Yesterday she asked her daughter's what she should write about, one of them responded, "Camels" and that was all. Jo did not write about camels and I commented that I felt she should have, and challenged her to do so tomorrow. To my delight, she did!

I decided to have some fun and wrote the same story, though from the point of view of the camel. As I suspected, it was good fun. So if you enjoy my off topic musing, I am sure you will like tonight's blog.

Jo's Blog (Where the story started) http://slummysinglemummy.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/for-a-long-time-afterwards-everything-was-quiet/

My Blog (The Camel Version) http://bit.ly/ckgjFM

Brian


----------



## Bearpie

Ecocandle said:


> *Camel Fears*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> As some of you know, on occassion, I tend to drift off topic and do a bit of creative writing. Today was such a day. There is a bit of back story here. My favorite blog in the entire world is entitled 'Slummy Single Mummy', and it one of a billion mommy blogs on the internet.
> 
> I am single, male, 43, no children. I am not her demographic. Every once in a while I stumble across a gem of a writer, and Jo is such a find. She has a writing style that is incredibly entertaining. Yesterday she asked her daughter's what she should write about, one of them responded, "Camels" and that was all. Jo did not write about camels and I commented that I felt she should have, and challenged her to do so tomorrow. To my delight, she did!
> 
> I decided to have some fun and wrote the same story, though from the point of view of the camel. As I suspected, it was good fun. So if you enjoy my off topic musing, I am sure you will like tonight's blog.
> 
> Jo's Blog (Where the story started) http://slummysinglemummy.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/for-a-long-time-afterwards-everything-was-quiet/
> 
> My Blog (The Camel Version) http://bit.ly/ckgjFM
> 
> Brian


Interesting!!

Erwin Jacksonville, FL


----------



## Ecocandle

*Not much woodworking...*

Hello LJ's

With the Memorial Day weekend upon us, I have headed to my parents. As such, not much relating to woodworking today. The post itself was fair, but for those only interested in my woodworking adventures, there isn't much for you tonight.

http://extremelyaverage.com

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Abysmal...*

LJ's,

Today I read a little bit about woodworking in a magazine, but not enough to blog about. The blog was frank discussion about my abysmal day on the golf course. It has a happy ending though.

http://extremelyaverage.com

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Abysmal...*
> 
> LJ's,
> 
> Today I read a little bit about woodworking in a magazine, but not enough to blog about. The blog was frank discussion about my abysmal day on the golf course. It has a happy ending though.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com
> 
> Brian


Hi Brian 
I'm confused every time I look at your post here it always has a link and says not much about woodworking today, and no comments. Am I missing something?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Abysmal...*
> 
> LJ's,
> 
> Today I read a little bit about woodworking in a magazine, but not enough to blog about. The blog was frank discussion about my abysmal day on the golf course. It has a happy ending though.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com
> 
> Brian


Jim,

I have blogged 148 times, that last few have not been about woodworking. I am not sure I understand your definition of 'Every time', clearly you have taken a number, probably less than 10, divided it into 148, and determined that 7%, is close to 100%, and rounded up, to arrive at 'Everytime'.

I am mostly working on practice dovetails for the next month, and over the weekend, I am at my parents, which makes woodworking difficult. Because it is boring to say, I practiced cutting dovetails, for 30 days in a row, I am doing some creative writing. I have explained this in my blog, which you don't read!

The overall scope of my blog is my daily journey in woodworking, and sometimes the journey includes taking a holiday weekend and spending it with my parents.

I have made a point to accurately reflect what is in my blog each day, so that the people who read my blog, know if it is worth their time to read. Sometimes I say my blog post is good, sometimes I say it stinks. I was asked by several people who are regular readers to post the notice indicating when my blog is up. I figured that some may not want to read on days where it isn't relating to woodworking, so I try to give an accurate description.

If I remember, you are one of the people who does NOT follow my blog. Which is fine. You have mentioned several times that you DON'T click on my links. You seem very proud of NOT reading my blog. What I want to know, is, why do you continue to leave a comment? You don't like my blog, it seems like you are only looking for a confrontation, and to increase your 'number of comments' left number.

My assumption is that you are looking to start some sort of angry debate about me posting the links to my blog on LJ, which should be kept pure for people who have posted 30651 comments.

I have met some very nice people here who like to hear about all the successes and failures I am experiencing while I try to learn woodworking, and for them, I post here. I do not wish to have some sort of battle with you, and I won't be sucked into the tirade you seem to be planning.

Now I am going to go back and enjoy my weekend, write a blog piece, likely about the time I spent with my mother at some gardens in Ames. So there isn't any reason for you to click on my next post, or any others for that matter.

Good Luck in Reaching 40,000 posts…I am sure it will be a very proud day for you.

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Abysmal...*
> 
> LJ's,
> 
> Today I read a little bit about woodworking in a magazine, but not enough to blog about. The blog was frank discussion about my abysmal day on the golf course. It has a happy ending though.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com
> 
> Brian


Brian
I guess you could consider my question as some kind of challenge but it was not intended as so.Because I don't follow most links I thought there was more than what I was seeing the past few times I clicked on your link. I choose not to have confrontations with anyone or start a angry debate with anyone and I would be a fool to even think of such with a well spoken person as yourself. If you think that's what I'm about you must not have read any of my post. for the record I have nothing against you or your blog and I only remember commenting on one of your previous post. I hope you do have a great weekend. I won't bother you with any more questions as you have requested.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Accidentally ran across a neat carving today...*

Hello,

As I mentioned in my blog, not much going on for woodworking this weekend, as I am hanging out at my parents. Today my mother and I went into Ames and had a lovely day. I ran across a bit of carving, in the form of a gnome. It was carved by the Mid Iowa Wood Carvers. It was an accidental find and I took a picture and included it the blog. Today's blog is mostly just photos. There are lots of butterflies too.

Tomorrow I head home and will get back to playing around in my shop.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/a-day-at-the-reiman-gardens-in-pictures/

Brian


----------



## mtnwild

Ecocandle said:


> *Accidentally ran across a neat carving today...*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> As I mentioned in my blog, not much going on for woodworking this weekend, as I am hanging out at my parents. Today my mother and I went into Ames and had a lovely day. I ran across a bit of carving, in the form of a gnome. It was carved by the Mid Iowa Wood Carvers. It was an accidental find and I took a picture and included it the blog. Today's blog is mostly just photos. There are lots of butterflies too.
> 
> Tomorrow I head home and will get back to playing around in my shop.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/a-day-at-the-reiman-gardens-in-pictures/
> 
> Brian


Beautiful…......................


----------



## Ecocandle

*Back to Woodworking*

Hello LJ's,

I enjoyed my weekend with Mom and Dad. Getting home and back to cutting dovetails was nice though. I cut the 4 sets of pins for my next box, in the same amount of time (plus 3 minutes) as I did for 2 sets of pins just last week. The quality was also improved. I am looking forward to tomorrows session…which may start now. ;-)

http://bit.ly/9VbGn3

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*I made a new Chisel purchase today.*

Hello All,

I did some more practice, but I can't just write about that every night, so I bought two new chisels online. I decided to have a bit of fun with the ole blog tonight…hope you find it better than a 'kick to the head'. http://bit.ly/cQUhpc

Brian

p.s. That is an old tag line for the University of Iowa student radio station, "Better than a kick to the head.", it still makes me laugh.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Long overdue*

Hello LJ's,

It was pointed out to me that I had not written another Henry Wood Detective Agency chapter in a while, so I tonight I did. http://bit.ly/bMsMXN

I will try not to go so long between HW posts. 

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Woodworking Chat on Twitter*

Hello LJ's,

I did a bit more practice on dovetails tonight. Experimented a bit with photography, and got a little bit different photo of the stuff I have been working on. I also talked about last night's interesting chat on Twitter. The subject was 'Going Pro'.

http://bit.ly/ctSEbb

Brian
@ExtremelyAvg


----------



## Ecocandle

*Nothing to see here...*

Hey,

My blog is up. It really isn't that good. There aren't any pictures. Mostly it is just me prattling on about my desire to turn a rough cut board into a flat board, using my hand planes, and the fear and uncertainity I have about doing so. Normally when I am going on about my insecurities, I can be rather entertaining, but I took a long nap tonight, and didn't do a very good job. So I am not even going to give you the link.

Brian


----------



## Blake

Ecocandle said:


> *Nothing to see here...*
> 
> Hey,
> 
> My blog is up. It really isn't that good. There aren't any pictures. Mostly it is just me prattling on about my desire to turn a rough cut board into a flat board, using my hand planes, and the fear and uncertainity I have about doing so. Normally when I am going on about my insecurities, I can be rather entertaining, but I took a long nap tonight, and didn't do a very good job. So I am not even going to give you the link.
> 
> Brian


Damn reverse-psychology. I clicked.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Working with my hand planes...*

Hello LJ's,

Today's post is much better than the horrible drivel I put up yesterday. I am still practicing dovetails, but the regular readers will be thrilled to know, I didn't talk about them at all in the post. Tonight's post is about my attempt at taking a piece of twisted, rough cut, walnut and making it flat. This is my first try at such a task. Before I started I had a hard time imagining how one would do it. Now I can almost see that it is possible, with much more practice, a great understanding of reading the grain, and lots more practice. The point is that I feel much less confused than I was yesterday. I included a picture with the rough cut board, next to the one I have been working on. It is amazing how much the look of wood changes when the rough face is removed.

http://bit.ly/cS6f2E

Brian


----------



## swirt

Ecocandle said:


> *Working with my hand planes...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today's post is much better than the horrible drivel I put up yesterday. I am still practicing dovetails, but the regular readers will be thrilled to know, I didn't talk about them at all in the post. Tonight's post is about my attempt at taking a piece of twisted, rough cut, walnut and making it flat. This is my first try at such a task. Before I started I had a hard time imagining how one would do it. Now I can almost see that it is possible, with much more practice, a great understanding of reading the grain, and lots more practice. The point is that I feel much less confused than I was yesterday. I included a picture with the rough cut board, next to the one I have been working on. It is amazing how much the look of wood changes when the rough face is removed.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cS6f2E
> 
> Brian


Another galoot is born.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Working with my hand planes...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today's post is much better than the horrible drivel I put up yesterday. I am still practicing dovetails, but the regular readers will be thrilled to know, I didn't talk about them at all in the post. Tonight's post is about my attempt at taking a piece of twisted, rough cut, walnut and making it flat. This is my first try at such a task. Before I started I had a hard time imagining how one would do it. Now I can almost see that it is possible, with much more practice, a great understanding of reading the grain, and lots more practice. The point is that I feel much less confused than I was yesterday. I included a picture with the rough cut board, next to the one I have been working on. It is amazing how much the look of wood changes when the rough face is removed.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cS6f2E
> 
> Brian


Hey Brian. Thanks for throwing in a little metric for us Canadian woodworking SAPS (PUN). Swirt gave you some good advice on your link. Use a scrub plane, I generally go 45 degree's to the grain, then do another pass 90 degrees to the first pass. This will leave you with a checkerboard pattern of bumps. Take your # 8,#7 or #6 plane and run it with the grain. (These all have long soles to get your board true) A #5 is okay…........Once you have the board to desired thickness, then use your #4 1/2 to smooth it out. Final touch will be your scraper ! Your board will now be smoother than babies bottom.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Working with my hand planes...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today's post is much better than the horrible drivel I put up yesterday. I am still practicing dovetails, but the regular readers will be thrilled to know, I didn't talk about them at all in the post. Tonight's post is about my attempt at taking a piece of twisted, rough cut, walnut and making it flat. This is my first try at such a task. Before I started I had a hard time imagining how one would do it. Now I can almost see that it is possible, with much more practice, a great understanding of reading the grain, and lots more practice. The point is that I feel much less confused than I was yesterday. I included a picture with the rough cut board, next to the one I have been working on. It is amazing how much the look of wood changes when the rough face is removed.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cS6f2E
> 
> Brian


Canadianchips,

Yes, i agree that Swirt gave me some great tips, as did you just now. At this juncture, I only have a Stanley 110, 220, 4 1/2, 5, and a shoulder plane made by the guy who sold me the 4 1/2 and 5. I can assure you that they are not my last plane purchases. The scrub plane is the next on my wish list. I love this stuff!!!

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Brain Games and Planing*

Hello All,

I wrote a lengthy, somewhat rambling piece tonight, but it is pretty good. I did some more planing with my No. 5. It was a good Sunday.

http://bit.ly/aEL3SC

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Designing a Jig*

Hello All,

With my new found love of using a hand plane, has come the realization that a jig might be helpful in holding the wood. So tonight I designed one. The picture is a little bit hard to see, as the scan is only fair, but tomorrow I hope to be able to put the whole thing together and then it will make more sense.

http://bit.ly/cNA1DM

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Designing a Jig*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> With my new found love of using a hand plane, has come the realization that a jig might be helpful in holding the wood. So tonight I designed one. The picture is a little bit hard to see, as the scan is only fair, but tomorrow I hope to be able to put the whole thing together and then it will make more sense.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cNA1DM
> 
> Brian


Try a bench hook


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Designing a Jig*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> With my new found love of using a hand plane, has come the realization that a jig might be helpful in holding the wood. So tonight I designed one. The picture is a little bit hard to see, as the scan is only fair, but tomorrow I hope to be able to put the whole thing together and then it will make more sense.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cNA1DM
> 
> Brian


if you want yo plane a board
three dovels is all you need to hold it

Dennis


----------



## rance

Ecocandle said:


> *Designing a Jig*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> With my new found love of using a hand plane, has come the realization that a jig might be helpful in holding the wood. So tonight I designed one. The picture is a little bit hard to see, as the scan is only fair, but tomorrow I hope to be able to put the whole thing together and then it will make more sense.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cNA1DM
> 
> Brian


Brian, It looks promising. I look forward to your updates. 
Dennis, you got a pic or link to what you are talking about?


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Designing a Jig*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> With my new found love of using a hand plane, has come the realization that a jig might be helpful in holding the wood. So tonight I designed one. The picture is a little bit hard to see, as the scan is only fair, but tomorrow I hope to be able to put the whole thing together and then it will make more sense.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cNA1DM
> 
> Brian


rance 
I don´t have a pic.
but you actuly can plane a board up against a stopblock or dovel
but if you use one or two more on the side you have a little better control
sideways
I think Chris swharz has something about it in his blogs on popolar woodworking magazin
I can´t remember if Logan shows it
but take a look at his side if you are in to working unplugged

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/index.html

he is realy a talented guy with handtools

the there is the renasaince guy
and a lot others out there and on L J
you can learn from

Edit :

Rance look at Logans podcast nr. 22 in that episode there is something about a planingstop


----------



## rance

Ecocandle said:


> *Designing a Jig*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> With my new found love of using a hand plane, has come the realization that a jig might be helpful in holding the wood. So tonight I designed one. The picture is a little bit hard to see, as the scan is only fair, but tomorrow I hope to be able to put the whole thing together and then it will make more sense.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cNA1DM
> 
> Brian


Thanks Dennis.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Designing a Jig*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> With my new found love of using a hand plane, has come the realization that a jig might be helpful in holding the wood. So tonight I designed one. The picture is a little bit hard to see, as the scan is only fair, but tomorrow I hope to be able to put the whole thing together and then it will make more sense.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cNA1DM
> 
> Brian


It isn't so much about the simplest solution, as the exercise of designing and executing the design. I did spend 8 hours building a push stick. So there is some history of going completely overboard. But that push stick taught me a lot about what I can accomplish with my micro planes, which is why I did it in the first place.

That being said, I do appreciate the tips, as I won't always want to do something in an inefficient way.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Designing a Jig*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> With my new found love of using a hand plane, has come the realization that a jig might be helpful in holding the wood. So tonight I designed one. The picture is a little bit hard to see, as the scan is only fair, but tomorrow I hope to be able to put the whole thing together and then it will make more sense.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cNA1DM
> 
> Brian


I think I understand your point there Brian
but even thow jiigs is maybee has the most enjoyment and fun in them
it´s allso importen to begin making real usefull things you can use and share
with freinds and fammely…....just my 2 cent 

take care Brian

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Gang Says "Hi"*

Hello All,

Many of the past stars of my blog made cameo appearences tonight. The Twins, Archie The Mallet, and of course, Marey the jig saw, all helped out today. The jig, which is grotesquely over engineered, is comeing along nicely. I also thing that the accompanying narrative is one of my better ones. I hope you all enjoy it.

http://bit.ly/9Jl7df

Brian

p.s. For those who enjoyed the story of "Winston the Camel", I am pleased to announce that Josephine has written the second chapter for her character, and I will be following with more from Winston later in the week.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The Gang Says "Hi"*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Many of the past stars of my blog made cameo appearences tonight. The Twins, Archie The Mallet, and of course, Marey the jig saw, all helped out today. The jig, which is grotesquely over engineered, is comeing along nicely. I also thing that the accompanying narrative is one of my better ones. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Jl7df
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. For those who enjoyed the story of "Winston the Camel", I am pleased to announce that Josephine has written the second chapter for her character, and I will be following with more from Winston later in the week.


well that applience seems to work for you
congrat´s with your new tool 
I hope it will serve you well in many years

Dennis


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *The Gang Says "Hi"*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Many of the past stars of my blog made cameo appearences tonight. The Twins, Archie The Mallet, and of course, Marey the jig saw, all helped out today. The jig, which is grotesquely over engineered, is comeing along nicely. I also thing that the accompanying narrative is one of my better ones. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Jl7df
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. For those who enjoyed the story of "Winston the Camel", I am pleased to announce that Josephine has written the second chapter for her character, and I will be following with more from Winston later in the week.


I must admit. I did not read your blog till this morning. This is good , I needed the sleep. If I would have read this last night I know I would have laid in bed with visions of animated tools working in your shop. The twins, dressed in fatiques ,waiting for there call, Marley. scooting around the wood ,easily cutting through whatever is front of her, THEN "Archie's" moment. "Rocky" music playing, crowd cheering and the bell rings, he strikes precisley. *Whoops I am getting carried away, THIS IS YOUR STORY*.We shall suggest an animated series in the future. Perhaps called "*THE MEEKS GANG*" 
I will be day dreaming all day.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Gang Says "Hi"*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Many of the past stars of my blog made cameo appearences tonight. The Twins, Archie The Mallet, and of course, Marey the jig saw, all helped out today. The jig, which is grotesquely over engineered, is comeing along nicely. I also thing that the accompanying narrative is one of my better ones. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Jl7df
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. For those who enjoyed the story of "Winston the Camel", I am pleased to announce that Josephine has written the second chapter for her character, and I will be following with more from Winston later in the week.


Canadianchips,

I am sorry about getting the blog up so late last night. I completely lost track of time down in the shop. I think an animated series would be fun. Maybe Disney will come a callin?

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The Gang Says "Hi"*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Many of the past stars of my blog made cameo appearences tonight. The Twins, Archie The Mallet, and of course, Marey the jig saw, all helped out today. The jig, which is grotesquely over engineered, is comeing along nicely. I also thing that the accompanying narrative is one of my better ones. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Jl7df
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. For those who enjoyed the story of "Winston the Camel", I am pleased to announce that Josephine has written the second chapter for her character, and I will be following with more from Winston later in the week.


Hello ther Brian
there is already an animated tool serie
it´s called Andy Mandy The Handyman I think….........LOL


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Gang Says "Hi"*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Many of the past stars of my blog made cameo appearences tonight. The Twins, Archie The Mallet, and of course, Marey the jig saw, all helped out today. The jig, which is grotesquely over engineered, is comeing along nicely. I also thing that the accompanying narrative is one of my better ones. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Jl7df
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. For those who enjoyed the story of "Winston the Camel", I am pleased to announce that Josephine has written the second chapter for her character, and I will be following with more from Winston later in the week.


Dennisgrosen,

Then I guess Canadianchips was right, it would make a good show! I just came along too late. Oh well.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The Gang Says "Hi"*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Many of the past stars of my blog made cameo appearences tonight. The Twins, Archie The Mallet, and of course, Marey the jig saw, all helped out today. The jig, which is grotesquely over engineered, is comeing along nicely. I also thing that the accompanying narrative is one of my better ones. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9Jl7df
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. For those who enjoyed the story of "Winston the Camel", I am pleased to announce that Josephine has written the second chapter for her character, and I will be following with more from Winston later in the week.


you cant win them all ….....but you are close )

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*I finished my hand planing jig*

Hello,

I finished my hand planing jig. It works really well and I like it. The last two nights have been such fun. For the last few weeks I have been focusing on practicing, so it was nice to build something. This is not to say that I don't intend to get back to the dovetail practicing, as I am still a long way from mastering it. But I needed a better way to hold wood for hand planing and this jig will serve me well for a long time.

http://bit.ly/cRJCsP

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *I finished my hand planing jig*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I finished my hand planing jig. It works really well and I like it. The last two nights have been such fun. For the last few weeks I have been focusing on practicing, so it was nice to build something. This is not to say that I don't intend to get back to the dovetail practicing, as I am still a long way from mastering it. But I needed a better way to hold wood for hand planing and this jig will serve me well for a long time.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cRJCsP
> 
> Brian


I like the boomerang idea and the wedgy. I think I will incorporate them into my bench. 
Went to the BIG CITy to have lunch with my wife today. On the way to her work I have to pass the army cadet office. As I drove by 2 female cadets come walking out the door. After writing my comment about your blog this morning, I immediatley said to myself, The twin sawhorses ! I almost peed my pants laughing.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I finished my hand planing jig*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I finished my hand planing jig. It works really well and I like it. The last two nights have been such fun. For the last few weeks I have been focusing on practicing, so it was nice to build something. This is not to say that I don't intend to get back to the dovetail practicing, as I am still a long way from mastering it. But I needed a better way to hold wood for hand planing and this jig will serve me well for a long time.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cRJCsP
> 
> Brian


LOL…That is a great story.


----------



## OutPutter

Ecocandle said:


> *I finished my hand planing jig*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I finished my hand planing jig. It works really well and I like it. The last two nights have been such fun. For the last few weeks I have been focusing on practicing, so it was nice to build something. This is not to say that I don't intend to get back to the dovetail practicing, as I am still a long way from mastering it. But I needed a better way to hold wood for hand planing and this jig will serve me well for a long time.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cRJCsP
> 
> Brian


You know, if you post the jig as a project, you could put a link to the blogs so people could see how the process went thus tricking them into reading your blog and becoming one of your mind slaves. A lot of people don't read the blogs so, it could mean new recruits.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I finished my hand planing jig*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I finished my hand planing jig. It works really well and I like it. The last two nights have been such fun. For the last few weeks I have been focusing on practicing, so it was nice to build something. This is not to say that I don't intend to get back to the dovetail practicing, as I am still a long way from mastering it. But I needed a better way to hold wood for hand planing and this jig will serve me well for a long time.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cRJCsP
> 
> Brian


Outputter…I did post it as a project…  Obviously great minds think alike.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I finished my hand planing jig*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I finished my hand planing jig. It works really well and I like it. The last two nights have been such fun. For the last few weeks I have been focusing on practicing, so it was nice to build something. This is not to say that I don't intend to get back to the dovetail practicing, as I am still a long way from mastering it. But I needed a better way to hold wood for hand planing and this jig will serve me well for a long time.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cRJCsP
> 
> Brian


it´s sure looks good now Brian
whats next….......LOL

take care

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Fixing My Blunder*

Hello All,

I was fresh off of my project completing rush and jumped right into a bit of tweaking that needed to be done on my router table. It was a simple fix, but I had been putting it off for a while. Checking it off my list of little things I need to take care of, has brought me a small measure of joy.

http://bit.ly/aT7EEh

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*I was given some practice wood...*

Hello All,

This has been a great day. I was given a bunch of practice wood and I have been practicing my hand planing. I really like taking rough, misshapen, odd pieces and turning them into smaller useful pieces. I included 4 pictures today. All in all, a pretty good post and day in the shop.

http://bit.ly/92bdjl

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I was given some practice wood...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> This has been a great day. I was given a bunch of practice wood and I have been practicing my hand planing. I really like taking rough, misshapen, odd pieces and turning them into smaller useful pieces. I included 4 pictures today. All in all, a pretty good post and day in the shop.
> 
> http://bit.ly/92bdjl
> 
> Brian


good to see you moving now with those great planes 
but it´s not a good idea to hone the blades during that game
you cuold easely cut yourself all over…......LOL

and you think you were lucky….....nope
Hills hardwood is lucky now they have a new regular custommer
and they are very preciated under this werd depression the wold is in
even if you unly buy one squerrefoot at a time…......LOL

naaa I kidden you a little but there is some truth in it
even today there is a lot of places that they wood have scrapped it
rather than let a custommer get it for free or just for a buck or two

have a great weekend Brian
take care and stay tuned

Dennis


----------



## Berg

Ecocandle said:


> *I was given some practice wood...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> This has been a great day. I was given a bunch of practice wood and I have been practicing my hand planing. I really like taking rough, misshapen, odd pieces and turning them into smaller useful pieces. I included 4 pictures today. All in all, a pretty good post and day in the shop.
> 
> http://bit.ly/92bdjl
> 
> Brian


I recently discovered your blog, Brian. Very entertaining. It appears I have some catching up to do; say 159 postings or so. 
"It is going to be a wonderful weekend"


----------



## tyskkvinna

Ecocandle said:


> *I was given some practice wood...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> This has been a great day. I was given a bunch of practice wood and I have been practicing my hand planing. I really like taking rough, misshapen, odd pieces and turning them into smaller useful pieces. I included 4 pictures today. All in all, a pretty good post and day in the shop.
> 
> http://bit.ly/92bdjl
> 
> Brian


nice! I've been trying to get the hang of the hand planer this week and it appears you've had far more luck than I.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I was given some practice wood...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> This has been a great day. I was given a bunch of practice wood and I have been practicing my hand planing. I really like taking rough, misshapen, odd pieces and turning them into smaller useful pieces. I included 4 pictures today. All in all, a pretty good post and day in the shop.
> 
> http://bit.ly/92bdjl
> 
> Brian


Berg,

Yes…There are quite a few posts. I started on Jan 2, 2010 and have written every day since then. For the first few months, I put the entire post here on LJ, but I just didn't have the time. I have had a lot of fun and learned a bunch.

Tyskkvinna,

I am pretty new to my hand planes, but it does seem like each day I practice I get a little bit better. It is nice having this practice wood. I am starting to learn how to read the wood and get better at adjusting the planes for better results. Keep at it, you will get it soon too. 

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Another Henry Wood Chapter is up.*

Hello LJ's,

I am trying to do a better job of periodically adding chapters to the Henry Wood Detective Agency story. Chapter 22 is now up, for your dinning and dancing pleasure.

http://bit.ly/8Y9beZ

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Another Henry Wood Chapter is up.*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I am trying to do a better job of periodically adding chapters to the Henry Wood Detective Agency story. Chapter 22 is now up, for your dinning and dancing pleasure.
> 
> http://bit.ly/8Y9beZ
> 
> Brian


thank´s Brian 
not that I understand the 2007 book things
but I gess it´s the authors choice of fredom
to use what they meen that is needed to
continue the story

how did it go with your sharpening
I don´t hope you cut yourself under the match
for me it was the 24 hours Le Mann race I just
got to see it sad that Tom Kristensen didn´t
took 1. place the 9. time

stay tuned 
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Another Henry Wood Chapter is up.*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I am trying to do a better job of periodically adding chapters to the Henry Wood Detective Agency story. Chapter 22 is now up, for your dinning and dancing pleasure.
> 
> http://bit.ly/8Y9beZ
> 
> Brian


I watched about an hour of Le Mann at 3 Am today. It was pretty cool. I ended up not doing any sharpening, as I just never got around to it, but I did enjoy the match. I also just watched Germany vs. Australia, and enjoyed that as well.


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Littlest Protest*

Hello LJ,

I just finished today's blog post. I am pleased with it. 'The Littlest Protest' http://ow.ly/1XXIP

Brian

p.s. I rank this as one of my top 17 of all time….maybe even top 12.


----------



## Berg

Ecocandle said:


> *The Littlest Protest*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I just finished today's blog post. I am pleased with it. 'The Littlest Protest' http://ow.ly/1XXIP
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I rank this as one of my top 17 of all time….maybe even top 12.


Seinfeld would be proud Brian. Or not. Whatever.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Littlest Protest*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> I just finished today's blog post. I am pleased with it. 'The Littlest Protest' http://ow.ly/1XXIP
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I rank this as one of my top 17 of all time….maybe even top 12.


LOL…great rebuttal…two points.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Conversation About Marketing with A Professional Woodworker*

Hello All,

Tonight's blog is vastly different from my usual fare. I had a conversation on Twitter today, with professional woodworker Adam King. It was very interesting and got me thinking about marketing. This was the main subject of the blog.

I also was wondering how many of the people who stop by my site have their own blogs or websites. Another gentleman, who has been a loyal reader, has been promoting my site on his blog roll. He just quietly put it on his site and never said anything. When I found out, I quickly added him to my site too, as he has a really good blog, and is very friendly.

So if you have a website or a blog, speak up. I for one, would love to check it out.

http://bit.ly/aFvodE

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Penultimate Bottom 5 List*

Hello All,

Yesterday's blog was so successful, that I needed to do a follow up. http://bit.ly/cAOqy8 I will get back to serious woodworking ramblings tomorrow.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Ooops.*

Hello LJs,

I promised to get back to woodworking in my blog, but alas I got sidetracked by Josephine. She is the woman who wrote the 1st piece in the Camel story from a few weeks back. It was so well received that we have decided to continue with the story, her writing the human parts, and me writing the same story from the point of view of the camel named Winston. I am very pleased with how tonight's bit came together, and I would proudly recommend it to all.

If you haven't read the first part of the story, it is probably best to go in this order…if you want it to makes sense.

http://slummysinglemummy.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/further-camel-adventures/

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/05/camel-fears-after-the-long-quiet/

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/camel-musings/

Josephine is a brilliant writer, and I am just struggling to try to keep from messing the story up. Now I am going to go play around in the workshop, so there will be something for tomorrows blog.

Thanks all,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Crazy About Woodworking*

Hello LJ,

As you know, the last few days I have been distracted by StumbleUpon and writing Winston the Camel stories. Tonight I got back into the shop and bent a piece of wood. This was very exciting for me, as I have been wanting to try it for some time, but I was chicken. It was just a small piece, and only a test. But I had success and it was fun.

http://su.pr/2hvPPK

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Crazy About Woodworking*
> 
> Hello LJ,
> 
> As you know, the last few days I have been distracted by StumbleUpon and writing Winston the Camel stories. Tonight I got back into the shop and bent a piece of wood. This was very exciting for me, as I have been wanting to try it for some time, but I was chicken. It was just a small piece, and only a test. But I had success and it was fun.
> 
> http://su.pr/2hvPPK
> 
> Brian


glad to hear your experiment came thrugh…....lol

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*I have a question...ok two...*

Hello LJ's,

Tonight's blog is fairly short, but I did ask my "Question of the Day", which I do at least once ever fortnight or two.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/storm-blog/

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Bargain Woodworking Magazines Rock!*

Hello LJ's,

I love reading about woodworking, especially in magazine form. There is a lot online that is great, and goodness knows I read a bunch of blogs and stuff, but it isn't the same as flipping the pages. Tonight's blog is about a nice find of older magazines and how I realized that they are a pretty good deal.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/bargain-woodworking-magazines-rock/

Brian

http://extremelyaverage.com


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Bargain Woodworking Magazines Rock!*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I love reading about woodworking, especially in magazine form. There is a lot online that is great, and goodness knows I read a bunch of blogs and stuff, but it isn't the same as flipping the pages. Tonight's blog is about a nice find of older magazines and how I realized that they are a pretty good deal.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/bargain-woodworking-magazines-rock/
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com


congrat´s with your bargain Brian
I do hope you and others find many more 
magazines in the second stores

I have a little fetch of trying to collect old
books/magazines from before 1970 the older the better
as long as I can learn things from them
it goes from woodworking over tractores/steamengines
to how to do things in a maschineshop dealing with Iron
I even got an old math book
have nearly the hole serie of popolar mechanic that has come in Danish
between 1950-1970
have a lot that cover photho as well

it´s funny to read about how things was done before
and compare it with todays plastic junk

just take the radio branch what we know as goood sound
and see what they try to sell as good sound after the cd had arieved

thats for now I´m on Duty….later

take care
Dennis


----------



## tyskkvinna

Ecocandle said:


> *Bargain Woodworking Magazines Rock!*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I love reading about woodworking, especially in magazine form. There is a lot online that is great, and goodness knows I read a bunch of blogs and stuff, but it isn't the same as flipping the pages. Tonight's blog is about a nice find of older magazines and how I realized that they are a pretty good deal.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/bargain-woodworking-magazines-rock/
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com


I love periodicals! 

I was recently given a woodworking book dated 1963 - I was amazed at how relevant it still is. In fact, aside from the terrible colour in the photos, I wouldn't have known it was an old book. I think this is pretty awesome.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Bargain Woodworking Magazines Rock!*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I love reading about woodworking, especially in magazine form. There is a lot online that is great, and goodness knows I read a bunch of blogs and stuff, but it isn't the same as flipping the pages. Tonight's blog is about a nice find of older magazines and how I realized that they are a pretty good deal.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/bargain-woodworking-magazines-rock/
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com


My neighbor "GAVE" me 36 magazines on woodworking !(Past 3 years issues) He knew I was interested in woodworking and told me he was going to throw them away. If I wanted them I ould have them. The price was right !
I also found some CD's about building the 1890-1900 homes. These CD's have the floor plans of all the homes that company offered back then. My wife and I are interested in buying an older Victorian home and starting a B&B, so I have been picking up everything I can on OLDER HOMES.


----------



## dmoney

Ecocandle said:


> *Bargain Woodworking Magazines Rock!*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I love reading about woodworking, especially in magazine form. There is a lot online that is great, and goodness knows I read a bunch of blogs and stuff, but it isn't the same as flipping the pages. Tonight's blog is about a nice find of older magazines and how I realized that they are a pretty good deal.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/bargain-woodworking-magazines-rock/
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com


I also enjoy reading all the older magazines. I've bought a few lots of them on ebay. It's amazing how fast you can read thru 3 years of Wood magazine.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Bargain Woodworking Magazines Rock!*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I love reading about woodworking, especially in magazine form. There is a lot online that is great, and goodness knows I read a bunch of blogs and stuff, but it isn't the same as flipping the pages. Tonight's blog is about a nice find of older magazines and how I realized that they are a pretty good deal.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/bargain-woodworking-magazines-rock/
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com


I see that I am not alone in my love of bargain magazines. I loved all your comments and it makes me want to go snooping around Des Moines's Half Price Books.


----------



## Ecocandle

*One Degree of Confusion*

Hello LJ's

I had a baffeling experience squaring up my practice piece of walnut. It was really odd, as mathematically everything seemed to work out. There was just one tiny problem…

http://bit.ly/aTjCZJ

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Building Two Boxes*

Hello Lumberjocks,

I decided to make two tiny boxes, instead of one, mostly because after I cut the first strip of wood, it turned out so nice. I love the jig I built for ripping with my circular saw. The walnut is from the practice piece, which I was using to build my hand planing skills. Once I got it flat, it just seemed like I should turn it into something, so I decided on boxes. I included a picture to show how much I had shaved off while practicing.

Woodworking is fun! http://su.pr/2JaN93

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Hand Plane Tribe*

Hello LJ's,

What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.

http://su.pr/8iS8CR

Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


Perfect. I knew it would be a good read.
Even if they have NO WORK permit for USA, put them to work. lol


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


I intend to do that. First step, sharpening!!! I am so excited I can barely stand it. You Rock! Your planes will be well loved here in the states.

Did you notice that I named them all after famous Canadian Hockey players?


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


This is a great story Brian and Perry, one that is not uncommon on Lumberjocks but never fails to bring a smile to my face. I will have to say Brian, it does make me wonder what would have happened if there were an interesting quirk about Martelle, Iowa. What if half the population were named Brian Meeks? What if the nickname for the town amongst the locals was Meeksville. For reasons unknown, individuals named Brian Meeks, migrated from all over the country to Martelle. And now, there is this dilemma. A package of unknown contents arrives in this little town, but without the details to help tell one Brian from another. Will this cherished package of planes make its way to the proper Brian? Or will the package become hopelessly trapped in the inner sanctum of the Martelle post office, never to be delivered?

Sound like a premise worth playing with? I would love to see you try your hand at such a plot.

Congratulations on your gift and kudoes to Perry for his kindness to another LJ.

David


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


David,

It reminds me of a time in the summer of 1986, I had just finished my freshman year at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. My best friend, Rodney Sullivan "Sully" lived in Lisbon, which is near Martelle. Lisbon is a town of about 3000, and I sent him a letter, I addressed it "Sully, Lisbon, Iowa" and it made it to him, even though is brother, father, grandfather, all went by 'Sully' too. But he was the most 'Sully'!

Brian


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


So in order for his brother to get a letter, it would have to be addressed to "The Sully that is almost, but not quite as Sully as Sully, Lisbon, Iowa?"


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


David,

Yes, that is correct! Or one could use 'Andy', but that would be too confusing.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


fantastic to hear this kind of story , big big smile on my face and a litte tear in my eye
what a unbelieveble wonderfull gift to resieve from a great man,
congrat´s with your new tools ,it starting to be a nice little collection you have
hold them free of rust and they will bring you a lot of joy the next many years

thank´s for sharing your happy moment

take care Brian
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

You are welcome. It is still amazing to me. Last night, before I went to bed. I went back down stairs and just looked at them all again. I had to pick up and hold each of the blades for the 45, and just smile. I love my new planes.

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


Sounds like David's(patron)is up to more of his kind adventures.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


(Just for laughs) So this is what happenined that morning 2 weeks ago. The night before I read the blog about how you have names for your tools. (I chuckle every time) I went into my shop that night and talked to my collection. Who wants to go join the MEEKS gang ? The stanley 78 was the first to come forward. (Knowing they are a dime a dozen and this might be " ITS" only chance to become famous.I say "IT" because the stanley has a spot for placing the blade in either front or back, similar to the Earthworm, this makes me think "IT' might be gender neutral. Next to come forward was the Stanley 45. This was a tougher decision. Since I have so many of them, I waas the one to decide who goes. (Type 1 through 20) Of course I wouldn't let the type 1 go (I don't have one) but if I did it wouldn't go. The type 1 is a show model. This man wants to learn how to use these. If he has a show model it would sit on the shelf like eveyone else's. (Brsides, his blogs are GOOD but not that good …..(Just joking). Type 2,3 and 4 are nice to look at and work with…BUT the adjustment of the blade is harder to do. (No depth wheel YET) So now we are narrowing it down. MY type 20. CANADIAN MADE. and prisitne condition. EVEN I don't use it, take it out of the box with silk gloves on !!!!!!! I could send my "JOHNY CASH CADILLAC special ! Picked it up 1 piece at a time, didn't cost me a dime. Parts from almost every TYPE that was made. (The Meeks gang would laugh if that one showed up) So I chose the one that went, reasonable amount of nickel plating, almost all parts (no cam,sorry !) and 1 set of blades. The stanley 50's didn't want to go, they were all embarrased about how small and light they are, They were concerned that if they went with the few blades I have they would be mocked ! I reassued them that the owner of the "Meeks gang" does his research and he will not let a 50 does what it was not designed to do. So "Wayne" came forward.(Always ready for a game eh!)Last was the Stanley # 80 scraper. An Made in England version. When I picked it off the hanger the first thing I heard "Do they have a PUB in Martelle ?"The English really enjoy there pubs.Next question I heard from # 80 " Bloody L, is he going to use me or will I just hang on the peg like you had me do ? " I thought to myself, you hang on my peg because I really don't think you work that well, I know, its the way I try to burnish your edge, BUT my 112 works a lot better," I couldn't tell him that, so I just said, okay, "Wanker" in the box". 
I did have a few jealous planes left behind. A number 6 that really wants to go, a number 71 router with granny tooth and #26 transitional model and a 35 transitional . Maybe one day !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Hand Plane Tribe*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> What a day! I got a present from a LJ reader of my blog. I didn't know it was coming, he just sent it. The best part is that he just labeled the box Brian Meeks, Martelle, Iowa. No address or p.o. box, but since I live in a town of 280, where everyone knows everyone else, that was plenty. It made me and the post master chuckle.
> I received 3 hand planes and a spokeshave, in great condition. So tonight's blog is about my new hand planes that have joined my collection, and of course, there are pictures.
> 
> http://su.pr/8iS8CR
> 
> Thanks Fellow LJ ( I am not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so for now, I will just say he is one of the great folks who hangs out at LJ)
> 
> Brian


That was a delightful addition. May I copy and paste it into my comments on the blog, so all might enjoy it?


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Day To Remember*

Hello LJ's,

I did a lot of work on my little walnut box I am building. When it finally came time to write my blog, I had lots of ideas for ways to go about telling the story. I also considered talking about the stuff I got from Lie-Nielson today, or some more about my hand planes. There was even a purchase of a new 45 degree Freud Chamfer bit. I thought about pointing out that I had some factual errors in my piece from two days ago, I cut a goove, not a dado. A clever reader pointed out my error. This was great, because I didn't know the difference, but now I do. This always makes me happy.

But when I started to type, my fingers wrote a blog piece that didn't include any of the topics above. For today was a truly remarkable day. Sometimes I just need to go where my fingers lead me. It is a very good piece. I hope you like it.

http://su.pr/1Zkuyc

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Back to woodworking*

Hey All!!!

I have had a triumphant day. I had to build a jig, to hold tiny pieces when using the router table. It was a wonderful success. I can barely contain my joy. So tonight I wrote about how I built the jig and how to use it. I hope you enjoy.

http://su.pr/52IOPp

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Back to woodworking*
> 
> Hey All!!!
> 
> I have had a triumphant day. I had to build a jig, to hold tiny pieces when using the router table. It was a wonderful success. I can barely contain my joy. So tonight I wrote about how I built the jig and how to use it. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/52IOPp
> 
> Brian


Great idea. You should have all your fingers when you are finished these little boxes !Hopefully other woodworkers will realize it is worth the time to make these useful templates,(JIG)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Back to woodworking*
> 
> Hey All!!!
> 
> I have had a triumphant day. I had to build a jig, to hold tiny pieces when using the router table. It was a wonderful success. I can barely contain my joy. So tonight I wrote about how I built the jig and how to use it. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/52IOPp
> 
> Brian


I hope so too…plus I had a lot of fun building it. Safety can be fun.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I wrote a guest blog piece...*

Hello LJ's,

Today I wrote a guest blog post. Sometimes I get requests to write some drivel for someone else, and I usually agree. The problem is that on those days, when I use my best stuff for another blog, I am left with just dreck for my own blog. I decided to give an update on StumbleUpon and how it had done since I wrote those pieces. If you are curious about SU, check it out.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/a-traditional-post-about-stumbleupon/

Brian


----------



## tyskkvinna

Ecocandle said:


> *I wrote a guest blog piece...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I wrote a guest blog post. Sometimes I get requests to write some drivel for someone else, and I usually agree. The problem is that on those days, when I use my best stuff for another blog, I am left with just dreck for my own blog. I decided to give an update on StumbleUpon and how it had done since I wrote those pieces. If you are curious about SU, check it out.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/a-traditional-post-about-stumbleupon/
> 
> Brian


SU is great. I get a good 20% of my traffic directly from it..!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I wrote a guest blog piece...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I wrote a guest blog post. Sometimes I get requests to write some drivel for someone else, and I usually agree. The problem is that on those days, when I use my best stuff for another blog, I am left with just dreck for my own blog. I decided to give an update on StumbleUpon and how it had done since I wrote those pieces. If you are curious about SU, check it out.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/a-traditional-post-about-stumbleupon/
> 
> Brian


What is your name on SU, I would love to subscribe!


----------



## Ecocandle

*Paying it Forward*

Hello All,

Today has been busy. I just got home. If you read my blog on a regular basis, then you will know that I was given a gift of hand planes, with the only request, that I 'pay it forward'. This seem like a bargain to me. So tonight I went into Des Moines and volunteered to help feed those who are hungry. This church has been doing this for 40 years. My parent's church does one day per month and there are 35 other churches that have their days and times, so that the place always has food. I wanted to write about the experience, and maybe I will tomorrow, but tonight it is late and I am worn out. Fortunately I had written the next chapter in the 'Camel Musings' story and it was just sitting there waiting to be posted. This was good, because I doubt I could have gotten a decent post about the volunteering done in a reasonable amount of time. I hope you enjoy it. And thanks again Perry for the planes. They are greatly loved.

http://bit.ly/cyEiJi

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Paying it Forward*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today has been busy. I just got home. If you read my blog on a regular basis, then you will know that I was given a gift of hand planes, with the only request, that I 'pay it forward'. This seem like a bargain to me. So tonight I went into Des Moines and volunteered to help feed those who are hungry. This church has been doing this for 40 years. My parent's church does one day per month and there are 35 other churches that have their days and times, so that the place always has food. I wanted to write about the experience, and maybe I will tomorrow, but tonight it is late and I am worn out. Fortunately I had written the next chapter in the 'Camel Musings' story and it was just sitting there waiting to be posted. This was good, because I doubt I could have gotten a decent post about the volunteering done in a reasonable amount of time. I hope you enjoy it. And thanks again Perry for the planes. They are greatly loved.
> 
> http://bit.ly/cyEiJi
> 
> Brian


Your welcome.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Paying it Forward*

Hello LJs,

I did some volunteering this weekend because I promised to 'Pay it Forward' and it was really fun!

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/volunteering-is-fun/

Brian


----------



## DAWG

Ecocandle said:


> *Paying it Forward*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I did some volunteering this weekend because I promised to 'Pay it Forward' and it was really fun!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/volunteering-is-fun/
> 
> Brian


Great read Brian and there is certainly alot of truth to "It is better to give than to receive". I think it's because when you give with the right attitude like you said you still receive. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Paying it Forward*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I did some volunteering this weekend because I promised to 'Pay it Forward' and it was really fun!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/volunteering-is-fun/
> 
> Brian


Thanks Dawg.

Seeing your comment, made me think of college football. I like the summer, but fall is the best time of year.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Paying it Forward*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I did some volunteering this weekend because I promised to 'Pay it Forward' and it was really fun!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/volunteering-is-fun/
> 
> Brian


Yes, having fun DOES count,


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Paying it Forward*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I did some volunteering this weekend because I promised to 'Pay it Forward' and it was really fun!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/06/volunteering-is-fun/
> 
> Brian


Thanks Perry, good to know.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Chatting With Some Pros*

Hello All,

Tonight's blog post is GREAT! Lots of pictures of beautiful furniture. I went to the Des Moines Arts Festival and got to chat with some of the artists. I thought it would make a good post and it did. It is nice to mingle with people who make their living doing what we all love.

http://su.pr/3vO36y

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Chatting With Some Pros*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight's blog post is GREAT! Lots of pictures of beautiful furniture. I went to the Des Moines Arts Festival and got to chat with some of the artists. I thought it would make a good post and it did. It is nice to mingle with people who make their living doing what we all love.
> 
> http://su.pr/3vO36y
> 
> Brian


nice little blog about the show
but it wooooooood realy have been niiiiiiiiiiiice to see a lot more pictures from there
I know it´s not your stile Brian but if those you show is the standard on the show
you cuold easely have shown more without boring people
glad to hear you had a good weekend in Des moine

take care 
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Chatting With Some Pros*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight's blog post is GREAT! Lots of pictures of beautiful furniture. I went to the Des Moines Arts Festival and got to chat with some of the artists. I thought it would make a good post and it did. It is nice to mingle with people who make their living doing what we all love.
> 
> http://su.pr/3vO36y
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

The show was wonderful. I am glad you liked the post. As for the quantity of pictures, I don't just snap them and upload them. I am pretty picky about my photography and I spend a fair amount of time trying to get technically sound images. A typical image can take 15 - 20 minutes of post production work. I think I spent close to 90 minutes on the ones I put up. There were other images, but they just weren't of the sort of quality that I wanted to show. I feel it is important, especially when showing other people's work, to present it the best light.

I hope that explains why I went with the quantity which I did.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Chatting With Some Pros*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight's blog post is GREAT! Lots of pictures of beautiful furniture. I went to the Des Moines Arts Festival and got to chat with some of the artists. I thought it would make a good post and it did. It is nice to mingle with people who make their living doing what we all love.
> 
> http://su.pr/3vO36y
> 
> Brian


hello Brian you don´t haveto explain this to me , I knew how you take your phothografi 
serius and how hard it is to thoose between those few good pictures we have taken
speciel when we don´t wont to put down any artist that present there best
as phothografs I allso think we are oblygate to present good work if we try to represent
them in other places
it was only one of those dumm wishes we all have when we see something and want 
to have more and more

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Planing with my router...*

Hello All,

Time Travel and Butterflies - Extremely Average http://su.pr/72cZ97 My latest blog post, full of silliness. I realized that I could thickness plane my bit of walnut with my router table, much more easily than with the jig I built to plane it.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*An interesting question...*

Hello LJ's,

Tonight I wrote some musings about what 'Type' of woodworker I might become. I really don't know, but I do know that there are a lot of great designers who I like. I guess the fun is in finding out.

http://su.pr/3SDgV0

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *An interesting question...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I wrote some musings about what 'Type' of woodworker I might become. I really don't know, but I do know that there are a lot of great designers who I like. I guess the fun is in finding out.
> 
> http://su.pr/3SDgV0
> 
> Brian


mmmmmmmh nothing here either ?

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *An interesting question...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I wrote some musings about what 'Type' of woodworker I might become. I really don't know, but I do know that there are a lot of great designers who I like. I guess the fun is in finding out.
> 
> http://su.pr/3SDgV0
> 
> Brian


LOL…I guess we will both find out in time.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *An interesting question...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I wrote some musings about what 'Type' of woodworker I might become. I really don't know, but I do know that there are a lot of great designers who I like. I guess the fun is in finding out.
> 
> http://su.pr/3SDgV0
> 
> Brian


damm I think my daughters word starting to be true
the other day she shoewed first her right hand and say nothing here
and then show me her left hand and said nothing here and at last
pointed at my head saying deffently nothing there…......what a laugh we had


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *An interesting question...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I wrote some musings about what 'Type' of woodworker I might become. I really don't know, but I do know that there are a lot of great designers who I like. I guess the fun is in finding out.
> 
> http://su.pr/3SDgV0
> 
> Brian


 That is brilliant. She has a good sense of humor.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *An interesting question...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I wrote some musings about what 'Type' of woodworker I might become. I really don't know, but I do know that there are a lot of great designers who I like. I guess the fun is in finding out.
> 
> http://su.pr/3SDgV0
> 
> Brian


yep she has and she can see funny things where others is just one big ?
she has always esay to smile and laugh even when it´s black humor as the british
witch is close to danish

take care Brian 
Dennis


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *An interesting question...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I wrote some musings about what 'Type' of woodworker I might become. I really don't know, but I do know that there are a lot of great designers who I like. I guess the fun is in finding out.
> 
> http://su.pr/3SDgV0
> 
> Brian


Choose worthwhile goals and you'll become who you'll become along the way; don't, and you'll become who you are. Any wisdom in that? Your saw horses, router table and even your plane collecting/sharpening all seemed like successful projects to me. Of course, I don't think a project doesn't have to end in perfection to be counted as a success. On the other hand, a mistake (doing something your already know you shouldn't do) is just that. 2+3 is not 4, and there is nothing to be gained in beating a dead horse, unless you really, really don't like horses. But, I think that most people would agree that, if a person doesn't fall off a horse once in a while, then they aren't taking enough chances in order to grow. See the difference between a failure and a mistake? In regard to our previous verbage, I think there is no sense in leading a reader along a long path only to witness a dead horse beating! : )

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *An interesting question...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I wrote some musings about what 'Type' of woodworker I might become. I really don't know, but I do know that there are a lot of great designers who I like. I guess the fun is in finding out.
> 
> http://su.pr/3SDgV0
> 
> Brian


That seems reasonable to me.

I seem to remember someone on Saturday Night Live saying something about , "No sense in beating a dead horse…(pause)...aside from the sheer joy of it." I am not sure that applies.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Tiny Box Progress*

Hello All,

Tonight I continued on my quest to build a tiny box. This probably seems like a trival matter to the seasoned folks here at LJ, but for a novice, it can be a bit challenging. My first two attempts ended with slight misalignment. So I am into my 3rd shot and having learned from the 1st two, seem to be doing better. I am almost up to the point where I went awry last time and I think the wood is in better shape and should be ok after I cut the pieces.

http://bit.ly/9sbeJ7

Brian

p.s. For a couple of hours I had up the same picture twice. Sorry about that. It is fixed now.


----------



## Ecocandle

*An Update...*

Hello LJ Bloggers,

Tonight's post is an update about using StumbleUpon to drive traffic to one's blog. I have been using it steadily for a few weeks now and decided to publish the results. I hope you find it interesting.

My weekly update about Stumble Upon and it's impact on Traffic. Exciting Graphs. http://su.pr/1vKTi9

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *An Update...*
> 
> Hello LJ Bloggers,
> 
> Tonight's post is an update about using StumbleUpon to drive traffic to one's blog. I have been using it steadily for a few weeks now and decided to publish the results. I hope you find it interesting.
> 
> My weekly update about Stumble Upon and it's impact on Traffic. Exciting Graphs. http://su.pr/1vKTi9
> 
> Brian


Wooooo Hoooooo
I like charts and graphs.
Week 3 show signs of BUY position, week 8 we are leaning towards SELL position ! lol


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *An Update...*
> 
> Hello LJ Bloggers,
> 
> Tonight's post is an update about using StumbleUpon to drive traffic to one's blog. I have been using it steadily for a few weeks now and decided to publish the results. I hope you find it interesting.
> 
> My weekly update about Stumble Upon and it's impact on Traffic. Exciting Graphs. http://su.pr/1vKTi9
> 
> Brian


Sadly three weeks ago I shorted ExtremelyAverage and am getting crushed.


----------



## DAWG

Ecocandle said:


> *An Update...*
> 
> Hello LJ Bloggers,
> 
> Tonight's post is an update about using StumbleUpon to drive traffic to one's blog. I have been using it steadily for a few weeks now and decided to publish the results. I hope you find it interesting.
> 
> My weekly update about Stumble Upon and it's impact on Traffic. Exciting Graphs. http://su.pr/1vKTi9
> 
> Brian


Very interesting; thanks for sharing and good luck with your blog.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Which is Better?*

Hello All,

There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.

Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/

Brian


----------



## ArcticTroy

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


It completely depends upon what you need to accomplish with whichever tool.


----------



## PurpLev

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


so which is better? purple? or brown?

a bandsaw is great tool, but doesn't do what a TS does - they both have different purposes. saying that one is better than the other doesn't really make any sense without the context of a certain operation.


----------



## wichle

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


Evenyually you will have both a band saw and a table saw. They compliment each other. Purplev is right, it depends on the project you are doing. I have both a Jet band saw and a table saw. a saw stop by the way which is really a great tool, aside from the safety issues.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


MY first purchase was a craftsman table saw,1 hp. belt drive,cast iron table. I am STILL using it these days. Over time I added a LH table with a router underneath, the RH extension is 42 inches wide.(This saw is celebrating its 33 birthday this year) I didn't get my bandsaw till 5 years later than table daw. It is a smaller DELTA,I bought it to cut profile in my cabinet doors. Most cuts were through 3/4" material. I wish I would have bought a larger one. TODAY I use it to resaw smaller logs. (Not large enough)
SO: My suggestion is look for a good used table saw. (Large and stationary,) Purchase a NEW band saw, if they have not been looked after well a used one might cause a lot of grief ! Also blade for older bandsaw are becoming harder to find. 
Whatever YOU decide, GOOD LUCK !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


Thanks everyone. I don't know why I made the grammar error "Which…not What".

I think you are all right. It mostly depends upon how one is going to use the tool. I guess a better question would be Which one should I get first, as I will probably eventually get all three. I devote most of my disposable income to buying tools and part of the fun is deciding which is next.

I would also comment to Purplev ...Purple is better than every other color! It is my favorite.

I think I am going to make my decision tomorrow. I will let you all know.


----------



## PurpLev

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


of course purple is better! 

As for the newly emerged question "which to get first". This one should also be personal to you. Find out which operations you do most in your woodworking, and based on that 1 of the 3 options will match up.

Bandsaw = resawing (logs/veneer/thick slabs), curved cuts, joinery
TS = repetitive cuts (rips,cross cuts - although for cross cuts in most cases a miter saw would do better) and work on smaller parts (ply/solids) than full sheets.
Plunge saw = sheet goods work (easier to work on a subfloor/raised block while moving the saw then having to handle a full sheet on a TS.


----------



## tyskkvinna

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


I find the table saw with sheet goods to be unwieldy, and usually requires at least one helper. (Okay - I am usually the helper.) But with a circular saw and a track, I can do it easily by myself… and have less worry of things flying around in bad ways.

I admire the balance skills of those who regularly cut sheet goods on a TS.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


Brian
it all depends on what way you think you will work in the coming future
and what you will work with and make
if and when you figur that out you will be able to say witch of the three 
saws you shuold have but don´t forget the 4th possipbillity HANDSAWS )

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

Japanese hand saws were and will always be my first love!

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Which is Better?*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> There was a recent debate on Twitter, among woodworkers, about which was better. The Festool Track plunge saw and table system vs. the Saw Stop table saw. After much discussion about which I should consider for my next purchase, someone said neither. I gasped. They suggested a bandsaw. This changed the direction of the conversation considerably. I had not been even thinking of getting a bandsaw.
> 
> Tonight I did some investigating of my own and even went to ACME tools to talk to Del.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/a-trip-to-acme-tools/
> 
> Brian


OOOOH UPS 
forgot to tell you when I was up at my mothers place delivering my
daughter to have some vacations there I bought a cheap set of japanese handsaws
mostly to my daughter she is strugling with the pushsaws so I thought
she maybee would have it esayer with the japanese but I most admit I´m
a little excited too about trying them when she return
and my little comment on handsaws was only to tease you hadn´t forget
that you made the blog about sawing, by the way have you finished pratishing
on those blocks….LOL

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Happy Birthday USA*

Hello All,

I had a great 4th of July. I did some woodworking, at some hot dogs, and then did some more woodworking. I have made it past the point where I goofed up the last attempt at making a tiny walnut box. This was exciting for me. I am on to the lid. There is still one major opportunity to screw this attempt up, but I am not going to worry about that right now, I am going to revel in my tiny victory.

Happy Birthday USA http://su.pr/1EpqDz

Brian

p.s. Thanks for all the helpful comments from yesterday.


----------



## noknot

Ecocandle said:


> *Happy Birthday USA*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a great 4th of July. I did some woodworking, at some hot dogs, and then did some more woodworking. I have made it past the point where I goofed up the last attempt at making a tiny walnut box. This was exciting for me. I am on to the lid. There is still one major opportunity to screw this attempt up, but I am not going to worry about that right now, I am going to revel in my tiny victory.
> 
> Happy Birthday USA http://su.pr/1EpqDz
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. Thanks for all the helpful comments from yesterday.


I am glad you enjoyed you Independence today with the grace of god and a few heroes may The U.S. stay within the founding principals.


----------



## tyskkvinna

Ecocandle said:


> *Happy Birthday USA*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a great 4th of July. I did some woodworking, at some hot dogs, and then did some more woodworking. I have made it past the point where I goofed up the last attempt at making a tiny walnut box. This was exciting for me. I am on to the lid. There is still one major opportunity to screw this attempt up, but I am not going to worry about that right now, I am going to revel in my tiny victory.
> 
> Happy Birthday USA http://su.pr/1EpqDz
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. Thanks for all the helpful comments from yesterday.


Your wee box is turning out quite nicely! I admire you and your mitre skillz. I'm still working on that one…. it's annoying how difficult they can be, eh?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Happy Birthday USA*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a great 4th of July. I did some woodworking, at some hot dogs, and then did some more woodworking. I have made it past the point where I goofed up the last attempt at making a tiny walnut box. This was exciting for me. I am on to the lid. There is still one major opportunity to screw this attempt up, but I am not going to worry about that right now, I am going to revel in my tiny victory.
> 
> Happy Birthday USA http://su.pr/1EpqDz
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. Thanks for all the helpful comments from yesterday.


Tyskkvinna,

It is difficult…and you are right…annoying! It is a bit of a rush when it works though, which makes it worth the effort.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*My Decision*

Hello LJ's,

Tonight's blog is relatively short. I am too excited to write. I made my big tool purchase decision today!

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/my-decision/

Buying tools is GREAT!

Brian


----------



## tyskkvinna

Ecocandle said:


> *My Decision*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight's blog is relatively short. I am too excited to write. I made my big tool purchase decision today!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/my-decision/
> 
> Buying tools is GREAT!
> 
> Brian


Jeff is a great name! It is the name of my robot.

I am extremely jealous. I've been bandsaw-lusting all day long. (sighs)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *My Decision*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight's blog is relatively short. I am too excited to write. I made my big tool purchase decision today!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/my-decision/
> 
> Buying tools is GREAT!
> 
> Brian


LumberJacker 900,

That "14,000" is a known scam! It was reviewed in a recent magazine, by one of the editors, there are only 6,000 plans, most of them are incomplete, and they are often just copied from woodworking magazines. which means that they are stolen and are viloating copyright!

So I will pass.

Brian


----------



## crank49

Ecocandle said:


> *My Decision*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight's blog is relatively short. I am too excited to write. I made my big tool purchase decision today!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/my-decision/
> 
> Buying tools is GREAT!
> 
> Brian


Yeah, go peddle your scam somewhere else Lumberjacker900


----------



## ArcticTroy

Ecocandle said:


> *My Decision*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight's blog is relatively short. I am too excited to write. I made my big tool purchase decision today!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/my-decision/
> 
> Buying tools is GREAT!
> 
> Brian


Martin, you may want to filter/ban IP addresses close to "Lumberjacker900


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *My Decision*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight's blog is relatively short. I am too excited to write. I made my big tool purchase decision today!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/my-decision/
> 
> Buying tools is GREAT!
> 
> Brian


Enjoy your bandsaw.
The fun of new tools, "some assembly required." Put it all together and had very FEW parts left over.! lol


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *My Decision*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight's blog is relatively short. I am too excited to write. I made my big tool purchase decision today!
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/my-decision/
> 
> Buying tools is GREAT!
> 
> Brian


congrat´s with your new toy Brian 

maybee you shuold tjeck this one out if you havn´t seen it
it´s just one of those that can solve some trobles with bandsaws

http://lumberjocks.com/stefang/blog/16611

and I know woodwhispere has made a vidio about how to line one up

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Nightmare*

Hello All,

Well after 9 hours I broke the tension lever, so I have not gotten my bandsaw set up.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/nightmare/

Brian


----------



## DAWG

Ecocandle said:


> *Nightmare*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Well after 9 hours I broke the tension lever, so I have not gotten my bandsaw set up.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/nightmare/
> 
> Brian


Sorry to hear that. Good luck.


----------



## wichle

Ecocandle said:


> *Nightmare*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Well after 9 hours I broke the tension lever, so I have not gotten my bandsaw set up.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/nightmare/
> 
> Brian


In a past life I wrote manuals for various things. Even got certified as a tech writer. Biggest problem is that the guy who designed "whatever" writes the manual. It would be better if the engineering/manufacturing guys would give a couple of machines to probable users and let them take notes on their experience, then develop a manual. Anyone remember Heath Kits? They were prepred, then sent home with secretaries to put together and citique the draft manual. Became a great do it yourself electronics company.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Nightmare*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Well after 9 hours I broke the tension lever, so I have not gotten my bandsaw set up.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/nightmare/
> 
> Brian


is it now I shuoldn´t say it got to have something with your japanese 
handsaws and your handplanes has conspired against you becourse they think
you had betrayed them buing a big maschine 

or is it pure unluck , still I feel sorry for your delay of enjoying a new tool
ceep up the spirit Brian , I´m sure you will get over this hurdle fast
in the meanwhile read and see everything you can on how to use and maintain a Bs

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*By Request*

Hello All,

Not much about woodworking tonight. I had a request for more detailed information about building traffic to my blog through SU, and I do like requests, so that is tonight's blog.

My StumbleUpon Methodology - Extremely Average http://su.pr/6atfFx

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster*

Hello LJ's,

Tonight I give a better account of my trials and tribulations with getting Jeff, the Powermatic 14" bandsaw, up and running.

The Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster http://su.pr/7o2dmQ Enjoy. 

I hope you enjoy. (Please don't try this at home…I am not endorsing my methodology at all!!!!)

Brian


----------



## DAWG

Ecocandle said:


> *Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I give a better account of my trials and tribulations with getting Jeff, the Powermatic 14" bandsaw, up and running.
> 
> The Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster http://su.pr/7o2dmQ Enjoy.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. (Please don't try this at home…I am not endorsing my methodology at all!!!!)
> 
> Brian


Glad to see everything worked out and you got Jeff all set up. Sounds like you really do have the best woodworking store ever. Well congratulations and enjoy.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I give a better account of my trials and tribulations with getting Jeff, the Powermatic 14" bandsaw, up and running.
> 
> The Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster http://su.pr/7o2dmQ Enjoy.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. (Please don't try this at home…I am not endorsing my methodology at all!!!!)
> 
> Brian


Thanks Dawg…I do have the best woodworking store ever! The guys are ACME rock!


----------



## scrollgirl

Ecocandle said:


> *Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I give a better account of my trials and tribulations with getting Jeff, the Powermatic 14" bandsaw, up and running.
> 
> The Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster http://su.pr/7o2dmQ Enjoy.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. (Please don't try this at home…I am not endorsing my methodology at all!!!!)
> 
> Brian


This is the first time I have seen your blog (I am a bit new here). I really enjoyed it. It is quite entertaining. Thanks for sharing your story with us. Jeff has a good home, it seems. 

Sheila


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I give a better account of my trials and tribulations with getting Jeff, the Powermatic 14" bandsaw, up and running.
> 
> The Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster http://su.pr/7o2dmQ Enjoy.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. (Please don't try this at home…I am not endorsing my methodology at all!!!!)
> 
> Brian


Don't you just hate it when you have a few "jealous tools" on the team ? They will realize one day JEFF is a power tool and they are hand tools. He will not be taking any work away from them, he will be making their job easier ! 30 years from now when you are sitting in your rockin chair on the front step (you now have the tools to make one ) you will look back and remember the time JRFF came into your life and you had to set him up, 
Many years of happy woodworking with Jeff.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I give a better account of my trials and tribulations with getting Jeff, the Powermatic 14" bandsaw, up and running.
> 
> The Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster http://su.pr/7o2dmQ Enjoy.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. (Please don't try this at home…I am not endorsing my methodology at all!!!!)
> 
> Brian


scrollgirl,

Welcome to Lumberjocks. I am very pleased that you found my blog and enjoyed it. I know that I really enjoy writing it. If you want some light, non-wood working reading, there is a header called 'Camel Musings' which has a story, which I am writing with a woman in the UK. I write from the point of view of the animals. I am quite proud of it.

Canadianchips,

I know…jealousy…there is no place for it in woodworking. I am sure that the handsaws will come around. 

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I give a better account of my trials and tribulations with getting Jeff, the Powermatic 14" bandsaw, up and running.
> 
> The Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster http://su.pr/7o2dmQ Enjoy.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. (Please don't try this at home…I am not endorsing my methodology at all!!!!)
> 
> Brian


glad to see you managed to bring Jeff to live so fast
and it´s a fasination teori you bring up and deliver the proof to
good luck I´m sure you have a lot of jobs for him

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I give a better account of my trials and tribulations with getting Jeff, the Powermatic 14" bandsaw, up and running.
> 
> The Five Stages of Tool Assembly Disaster http://su.pr/7o2dmQ Enjoy.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. (Please don't try this at home…I am not endorsing my methodology at all!!!!)
> 
> Brian


Dennisgrosen,

I do have lots of jobs for him. I think I may go get him a blade that is designed for resawing. I also need to pick up some stuff for jig building. I love a trip to the tool store.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*What is in a Name Indeed*

Hello LJ's,

I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels. 

http://su.pr/1snYAF

Brian


----------



## longgone

Ecocandle said:


> *What is in a Name Indeed*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels.
> 
> http://su.pr/1snYAF
> 
> Brian


Fred and Doris sound like good names…


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *What is in a Name Indeed*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels.
> 
> http://su.pr/1snYAF
> 
> Brian


Thanks Greg.


----------



## wseand

Ecocandle said:


> *What is in a Name Indeed*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels.
> 
> http://su.pr/1snYAF
> 
> Brian


Rosemary and Crosby


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *What is in a Name Indeed*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels.
> 
> http://su.pr/1snYAF
> 
> Brian


name the fishtale after the little mermaid (cuoldn´t help it after all she lives in Denmark)
and if the other is the biggest chiesel you ever will have on the bench you cuold 
name him MR. T

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *What is in a Name Indeed*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels.
> 
> http://su.pr/1snYAF
> 
> Brian


Those are two good names.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *What is in a Name Indeed*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels.
> 
> http://su.pr/1snYAF
> 
> Brian


sorry Brian not so sure about MR. T
after all he is a little rougf and L-N cheisles ain´t rougf
so MR. T most deffently be a big mortisse cheisel sorry Brian

have a great weekend my freind
Dennis


----------



## dustbunny

Ecocandle said:


> *What is in a Name Indeed*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels.
> 
> http://su.pr/1snYAF
> 
> Brian


Reggie and Veronica from the Archie comic strip series.
I read that your mallet is named Archie 
and am thinking that these names would be appropriate
as they are all friends and work together.
The fishtale chisel is more feminine looking so I would go with Veronica
for that one.

Good luck on choosing names….

Lisa


----------



## 559dustdesigns

Ecocandle said:


> *What is in a Name Indeed*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels.
> 
> http://su.pr/1snYAF
> 
> Brian


How about fat Albert for the larger one. Will you talk to them while you hit them with Archie (your mallet)?
Batman and Robin. Austin powers and mini me. lol


----------



## Jimthecarver

Ecocandle said:


> *What is in a Name Indeed*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have two new tools. As you know, I like to name them, but this time I am calling all readers to chime in. I need help naming my new Chisels.
> 
> http://su.pr/1snYAF
> 
> Brian


Frick and Frack!


----------



## Ecocandle

*Time to build a jig for Jeff*

Hello All,

Tonight I discuss my methodology for designing a jig. I also go on a bit of a rant, which I do sometimes. On another note, I am going to let people have one more day to make suggestions for the names of my two new chisels. There have been a ton of great ones thus far. So if you want to submit your idea, go to yesterday's blog.

http://su.pr/2S6Qmy

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to build a jig for Jeff*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I discuss my methodology for designing a jig. I also go on a bit of a rant, which I do sometimes. On another note, I am going to let people have one more day to make suggestions for the names of my two new chisels. There have been a ton of great ones thus far. So if you want to submit your idea, go to yesterday's blog.
> 
> http://su.pr/2S6Qmy
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


I´m sure you will come up with something interressting
but before you reinvent the wheel and the deep plate
take a look at all those resawing jiigs that is on L J

enjoy your doing nothing but sitting in the chair
I have discovered that a single malt sometimes help a lot 

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*And the Winner is...*

Hello All,

I want to thank everyone for helping in the name the chisels contest. There were a lot of great ideas. And the Winner in the Name the Chisel contest is… http://su.pr/1L9NPn

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## tyskkvinna

Ecocandle said:


> *And the Winner is...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I want to thank everyone for helping in the name the chisels contest. There were a lot of great ideas. And the Winner in the Name the Chisel contest is… http://su.pr/1L9NPn
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


hehehe! Perfect choices.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *And the Winner is...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I want to thank everyone for helping in the name the chisels contest. There were a lot of great ideas. And the Winner in the Name the Chisel contest is… http://su.pr/1L9NPn
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


congrat´s with the choice of names 
they ain´t bad I hope they can live up to them

take care
Dennis


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *And the Winner is...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I want to thank everyone for helping in the name the chisels contest. There were a lot of great ideas. And the Winner in the Name the Chisel contest is… http://su.pr/1L9NPn
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


You have no idea how much JOY reading your blogs bring to me !
Good to hear your chisels now have names. They both must be pleased having a name ,no longer putting up with "Hey you ".LOL


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *And the Winner is...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I want to thank everyone for helping in the name the chisels contest. There were a lot of great ideas. And the Winner in the Name the Chisel contest is… http://su.pr/1L9NPn
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


CanadianChips,

I am thrilled that you enjoy my blog so much. I really had fun with yesterday's post. Manfred and Donna seem to like their names very much. There was much singing and dancing after the vote.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Fun in the Shop*

Hello Everyone,

I had fun in the shop tonight, working on my bandsaw resaw jig. A fairly bland post on the blog tonight, though Manfred did get some work. My first chiseling with my Lie-Nelsen chisel was a joy.

http://bit.ly/9wl04y

Brian


----------



## wseand

Ecocandle said:


> *Fun in the Shop*
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> I had fun in the shop tonight, working on my bandsaw resaw jig. A fairly bland post on the blog tonight, though Manfred did get some work. My first chiseling with my Lie-Nelsen chisel was a joy.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9wl04y
> 
> Brian


Looks like Manfred did you well today.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Fun in the Shop*
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> I had fun in the shop tonight, working on my bandsaw resaw jig. A fairly bland post on the blog tonight, though Manfred did get some work. My first chiseling with my Lie-Nelsen chisel was a joy.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9wl04y
> 
> Brian


He did, he did very well. I am most pleased that I added him and Donna to my meager tool collection.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Fun in the Shop*
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> I had fun in the shop tonight, working on my bandsaw resaw jig. A fairly bland post on the blog tonight, though Manfred did get some work. My first chiseling with my Lie-Nelsen chisel was a joy.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9wl04y
> 
> Brian


good to see he started out with some light work
remember new folks has a learning curve so don´t
let them have the most difficult work before they
know whats it all about and can handle it

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Fun in the Shop*
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> I had fun in the shop tonight, working on my bandsaw resaw jig. A fairly bland post on the blog tonight, though Manfred did get some work. My first chiseling with my Lie-Nelsen chisel was a joy.
> 
> http://bit.ly/9wl04y
> 
> Brian


Good advice indeed.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Ancient Master Shapening Monk Wisdoms*

Hello LJ's,

I made a mistake tonight, with building my bandsaw resaw jig, but by going back in time 1000 years or so, I was able to gain some wisdom from a great Master Sharpening Monk, and overcome my problem.

Ancient Master Sharpening Monk Wisdom - Extremely Average http://su.pr/8gVN1o

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Ancient Master Shapening Monk Wisdoms*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I made a mistake tonight, with building my bandsaw resaw jig, but by going back in time 1000 years or so, I was able to gain some wisdom from a great Master Sharpening Monk, and overcome my problem.
> 
> Ancient Master Sharpening Monk Wisdom - Extremely Average http://su.pr/8gVN1o
> 
> Brian


Sometimes we get our best ideas from making mistakes !


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Ancient Master Shapening Monk Wisdoms*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I made a mistake tonight, with building my bandsaw resaw jig, but by going back in time 1000 years or so, I was able to gain some wisdom from a great Master Sharpening Monk, and overcome my problem.
> 
> Ancient Master Sharpening Monk Wisdom - Extremely Average http://su.pr/8gVN1o
> 
> Brian


all our lifes we surch for wisdom even when we know it´s tooo late to use it vicely
and the greatest wisdom is often found in mistakes
but they seldom if ever makes you rich

that´s the way Brian congrat´s with the little victory in the battles between designchanges

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Jig is Finished*

Hello All,

I finished the bandsaw small piece resaw and bread holder jig. Ok, I don't actually intend to hold a loaf of bread for resawing, but I am pretty sure one could slice a baguette up in no time. I digress. I had an error to fix from yesterday and tonight's blog is about my successful triumph and there is a picture of my first, rather thin, cut I made using it. I am very happy with the results.

http://su.pr/19x9iI

I also included a photo of how I set up the shot for tonight's blog. We were discussing photography of projects on Twitter during the #Woodchat. So if any of you were also hanging out for that discussion, you may find it interesting.

Sincerely,

Brian Meeks


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *The Jig is Finished*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished the bandsaw small piece resaw and bread holder jig. Ok, I don't actually intend to hold a loaf of bread for resawing, but I am pretty sure one could slice a baguette up in no time. I digress. I had an error to fix from yesterday and tonight's blog is about my successful triumph and there is a picture of my first, rather thin, cut I made using it. I am very happy with the results.
> 
> http://su.pr/19x9iI
> 
> I also included a photo of how I set up the shot for tonight's blog. We were discussing photography of projects on Twitter during the #Woodchat. So if any of you were also hanging out for that discussion, you may find it interesting.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


I think you may have stumbled upon something. Slicing the loaf of bread the LONG way.
Call it the Longfellow sandwich ?
lol


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Jig is Finished*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished the bandsaw small piece resaw and bread holder jig. Ok, I don't actually intend to hold a loaf of bread for resawing, but I am pretty sure one could slice a baguette up in no time. I digress. I had an error to fix from yesterday and tonight's blog is about my successful triumph and there is a picture of my first, rather thin, cut I made using it. I am very happy with the results.
> 
> http://su.pr/19x9iI
> 
> I also included a photo of how I set up the shot for tonight's blog. We were discussing photography of projects on Twitter during the #Woodchat. So if any of you were also hanging out for that discussion, you may find it interesting.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


LOL…Good one!!! Two points for CanadianChips. I wish I had thought of that! Brilliant.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Tiny is Cool*

Hello LJ's,

Tonight I tried testing the limits of my bandsaw resaw jig. I have succeeded in cutting a really thin piece of spalted maple off of a somewhat less thin piece of spalted maple. The original was less than 3/4 of an inch. It worked so well that it triggered some memories which I decided to share. So there is woodworking, memories, and a cool picture.

http://su.pr/2xd9N1

Enjoy,

Brian


----------



## mtnwild

Ecocandle said:


> *Tiny is Cool*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I tried testing the limits of my bandsaw resaw jig. I have succeeded in cutting a really thin piece of spalted maple off of a somewhat less thin piece of spalted maple. The original was less than 3/4 of an inch. It worked so well that it triggered some memories which I decided to share. So there is woodworking, memories, and a cool picture.
> 
> http://su.pr/2xd9N1
> 
> Enjoy,
> 
> Brian


All the small things make up the big things.

Cool reflections, brought back some of my past memories.

I always say, the only thing we will get to take with us is our memories, so make them good ones.

Thanks…........................


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Tiny is Cool*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I tried testing the limits of my bandsaw resaw jig. I have succeeded in cutting a really thin piece of spalted maple off of a somewhat less thin piece of spalted maple. The original was less than 3/4 of an inch. It worked so well that it triggered some memories which I decided to share. So there is woodworking, memories, and a cool picture.
> 
> http://su.pr/2xd9N1
> 
> Enjoy,
> 
> Brian


Jack,

I couldn't agree more. Thanks for giving my blog a read.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*It is all about precision*

Hello LJ buddies,

I spent most of my shop time, fussing about making some very precise cuts. My router table jig has become one of my favorite things in the shop, and it severed me well today.

Finally…the blog is done…it is exceptionally mediocre tonight. Sorry.

http://su.pr/50vqIM

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *It is all about precision*
> 
> Hello LJ buddies,
> 
> I spent most of my shop time, fussing about making some very precise cuts. My router table jig has become one of my favorite things in the shop, and it severed me well today.
> 
> Finally…the blog is done…it is exceptionally mediocre tonight. Sorry.
> 
> http://su.pr/50vqIM
> 
> Brian


hello Brian 
why don´t you use a plovplane or the granny´s tooth to make 
the groves a little deeper
that wuold proppebly bee the farstes way of doing it

just a thought 

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *It is all about precision*
> 
> Hello LJ buddies,
> 
> I spent most of my shop time, fussing about making some very precise cuts. My router table jig has become one of my favorite things in the shop, and it severed me well today.
> 
> Finally…the blog is done…it is exceptionally mediocre tonight. Sorry.
> 
> http://su.pr/50vqIM
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

I am not sure how I would hold onto the pieces, they are really tiny. Also, I don't know what either of those planes are.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *It is all about precision*
> 
> Hello LJ buddies,
> 
> I spent most of my shop time, fussing about making some very precise cuts. My router table jig has become one of my favorite things in the shop, and it severed me well today.
> 
> Finally…the blog is done…it is exceptionally mediocre tonight. Sorry.
> 
> http://su.pr/50vqIM
> 
> Brian


the granny´s tooth is simply a routerplane
here is on you can make
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/33456

and a plovplane or grooving plane is something like this (can bee in wood allso)
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/32316

here you see both of them in a cabinet Mafe made for them
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/33506

and to hold small/tiny piece on the workbench
my surgestion will be carpenters best freind carpettape it´s dobbeltsided kleber

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *It is all about precision*
> 
> Hello LJ buddies,
> 
> I spent most of my shop time, fussing about making some very precise cuts. My router table jig has become one of my favorite things in the shop, and it severed me well today.
> 
> Finally…the blog is done…it is exceptionally mediocre tonight. Sorry.
> 
> http://su.pr/50vqIM
> 
> Brian


I have a plane that might work, I just don't know how I would do it on a piece that is 2 inches by 3 inches.

Thanks for the links.


----------



## GaryCN

Ecocandle said:


> *It is all about precision*
> 
> Hello LJ buddies,
> 
> I spent most of my shop time, fussing about making some very precise cuts. My router table jig has become one of my favorite things in the shop, and it severed me well today.
> 
> Finally…the blog is done…it is exceptionally mediocre tonight. Sorry.
> 
> http://su.pr/50vqIM
> 
> Brian


re Finally…the blog is done…..... very nice job on your site.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Wanting and Doing are Different Animals*

Hello All,

I had some success, I had some failure. In the end, I was a bit smarter. So that is a pretty good day, I would say. I had fun in the shop, but it didn't go exactly as I had planned.

http://su.pr/1nlt6E

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Wanting and Doing are Different Animals*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some success, I had some failure. In the end, I was a bit smarter. So that is a pretty good day, I would say. I had fun in the shop, but it didn't go exactly as I had planned.
> 
> http://su.pr/1nlt6E
> 
> Brian


When you apply your glue the corners are going to become very slippery making it even harder to set together than when you dry fit. You are going to phone your mom or maybe your dad and ask them why they created you with only 2 arms and hands. TODAY you really could use 4, maybe even 5. (Not sure where the 5th would be hangin from but it sounds kewl. Eh ? (cdn humor)
Have fun


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Wanting and Doing are Different Animals*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had some success, I had some failure. In the end, I was a bit smarter. So that is a pretty good day, I would say. I had fun in the shop, but it didn't go exactly as I had planned.
> 
> http://su.pr/1nlt6E
> 
> Brian


It is going to be a battle, of that, I am sure.


----------



## Ecocandle

*More Camel Musings*

Hello All,

I recently did a break down of my blog. I have written 2% of the posts relating to photography, 12% are the Henry Wood Detective Series, 84% are woodworking related, and the remaining 2% are from the 'Camel Musings' series, which I write with a Mommy Blogger in the UK. Sometimes it is nice to stretch one's writing legs, or fingers as the case may be. Tonight was such a night. If you have been following the story, I think you will enjoy it. If you haven't, you may find the links to all the previous chapters, at the top of the post.

http://su.pr/2NU96C

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *More Camel Musings*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I recently did a break down of my blog. I have written 2% of the posts relating to photography, 12% are the Henry Wood Detective Series, 84% are woodworking related, and the remaining 2% are from the 'Camel Musings' series, which I write with a Mommy Blogger in the UK. Sometimes it is nice to stretch one's writing legs, or fingers as the case may be. Tonight was such a night. If you have been following the story, I think you will enjoy it. If you haven't, you may find the links to all the previous chapters, at the top of the post.
> 
> http://su.pr/2NU96C
> 
> Brian


2 thumbs up


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *More Camel Musings*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I recently did a break down of my blog. I have written 2% of the posts relating to photography, 12% are the Henry Wood Detective Series, 84% are woodworking related, and the remaining 2% are from the 'Camel Musings' series, which I write with a Mommy Blogger in the UK. Sometimes it is nice to stretch one's writing legs, or fingers as the case may be. Tonight was such a night. If you have been following the story, I think you will enjoy it. If you haven't, you may find the links to all the previous chapters, at the top of the post.
> 
> http://su.pr/2NU96C
> 
> Brian


I am glad you liked it. Thanks for the double thumbs up.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Top 7 Things I Hate About Top 10 Lists*

Hello All,

198 days ago, I posted my first blog post. It was a bit if a lark, but then a bunch of people left some really nice comments. It spurred me on to write more. Which I did. After a while I bought my own domain. And over the last 30 days, over 4100 different people have stopped in to read my drivel.

It all began right here on LJ. I really appreciate all the encouragement everyone has given me. I wanted to share some good news here first. I have just been accepted to be a guest blogger on The Des Moines Register web site. I have been writing one post per week about social media. It is these post, which I will also be sharing with their readership.

So tonight's blog post, is the one I will post there first. I thought I would let the folks who encouraged me to keep writing check it out, before I put it up there for the masses. It is a piece I wrote as a guest blog piece two months ago. It may be the best thing I have written. I hope you enjoy it, even if it isn't about woodworking.

Top 7 Things I Hate About Top 10 Lists http://su.pr/1sAnkB

Thanks again EVERYONE!

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Top 7 Things I Hate About Top 10 Lists*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> 198 days ago, I posted my first blog post. It was a bit if a lark, but then a bunch of people left some really nice comments. It spurred me on to write more. Which I did. After a while I bought my own domain. And over the last 30 days, over 4100 different people have stopped in to read my drivel.
> 
> It all began right here on LJ. I really appreciate all the encouragement everyone has given me. I wanted to share some good news here first. I have just been accepted to be a guest blogger on The Des Moines Register web site. I have been writing one post per week about social media. It is these post, which I will also be sharing with their readership.
> 
> So tonight's blog post, is the one I will post there first. I thought I would let the folks who encouraged me to keep writing check it out, before I put it up there for the masses. It is a piece I wrote as a guest blog piece two months ago. It may be the best thing I have written. I hope you enjoy it, even if it isn't about woodworking.
> 
> Top 7 Things I Hate About Top 10 Lists http://su.pr/1sAnkB
> 
> Thanks again EVERYONE!
> 
> Brian


If the blog of scantily clad supermodels had pictures of course I would choose that ! 
So the blog with "well chosen words" is the one I follow.
Thanks !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Top 7 Things I Hate About Top 10 Lists*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> 198 days ago, I posted my first blog post. It was a bit if a lark, but then a bunch of people left some really nice comments. It spurred me on to write more. Which I did. After a while I bought my own domain. And over the last 30 days, over 4100 different people have stopped in to read my drivel.
> 
> It all began right here on LJ. I really appreciate all the encouragement everyone has given me. I wanted to share some good news here first. I have just been accepted to be a guest blogger on The Des Moines Register web site. I have been writing one post per week about social media. It is these post, which I will also be sharing with their readership.
> 
> So tonight's blog post, is the one I will post there first. I thought I would let the folks who encouraged me to keep writing check it out, before I put it up there for the masses. It is a piece I wrote as a guest blog piece two months ago. It may be the best thing I have written. I hope you enjoy it, even if it isn't about woodworking.
> 
> Top 7 Things I Hate About Top 10 Lists http://su.pr/1sAnkB
> 
> Thanks again EVERYONE!
> 
> Brian


You are welcome. I am pleased to entertain.


----------



## Ecocandle

*My 200th Post. Yippee*

Hello All,

I did some more work on my tiny walnut box today. I may have gotten over my fear of tiny piece glue up today. 

Another Milestone Reached

http://su.pr/18qaCA

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *My 200th Post. Yippee*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I did some more work on my tiny walnut box today. I may have gotten over my fear of tiny piece glue up today.
> 
> Another Milestone Reached
> 
> http://su.pr/18qaCA
> 
> Brian


congrat´s with another milestone or two Brian

next time you are going to glue up a box try this

lay out the pieces side by side and cover them with two stribs
of tabe, turn all 4 pieces around and come glue on the mitres
and when you role the pieces together you do it around the bottom
so it is loose in the groove
then you messager acros the corners and correct them untill they are even
that shuold do the trick for you my freind

I think Brixtofte had make a toturial on it you can look at

have a great day

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Things I Love*

Hello LJ's,

I have glued the box together. It is a simple act, though I fussed over it for a long time. When the moment arrived to apply the glue, it was much less stressful than I imagined. I am getting excited about making another box. It will be far less scary. And likely go much quicker, as I won't be goofing around trying to understand what I am doing.

Tonight's post is entitled 'Things I Love'... http://su.pr/3c4T3s I hope you enjoy it.

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Things I Love*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have glued the box together. It is a simple act, though I fussed over it for a long time. When the moment arrived to apply the glue, it was much less stressful than I imagined. I am getting excited about making another box. It will be far less scary. And likely go much quicker, as I won't be goofing around trying to understand what I am doing.
> 
> Tonight's post is entitled 'Things I Love'... http://su.pr/3c4T3s I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Brian


I am with ya on he Breakfast thing. I also add the Dinner thing and Supper thing, even Snacks. Food is good !
Anyone that see's me in real would agree. 
I make comments on how I love auction sales.
My love for woodworking is always on the list.
But I have to admit. 10 years ago that all changed.
I only have one real love now ! That is my WIFE.
Because she is the wonderful person she is, I still get to appreciate all those things that I once thought I loved .


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Things I Love*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have glued the box together. It is a simple act, though I fussed over it for a long time. When the moment arrived to apply the glue, it was much less stressful than I imagined. I am getting excited about making another box. It will be far less scary. And likely go much quicker, as I won't be goofing around trying to understand what I am doing.
> 
> Tonight's post is entitled 'Things I Love'... http://su.pr/3c4T3s I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Brian


I count you as a lucky man indeed.


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Things I Love*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have glued the box together. It is a simple act, though I fussed over it for a long time. When the moment arrived to apply the glue, it was much less stressful than I imagined. I am getting excited about making another box. It will be far less scary. And likely go much quicker, as I won't be goofing around trying to understand what I am doing.
> 
> Tonight's post is entitled 'Things I Love'... http://su.pr/3c4T3s I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Brian


i love your methodical approach. it's starting to look like a box! keep on keeping on.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Things I Love*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have glued the box together. It is a simple act, though I fussed over it for a long time. When the moment arrived to apply the glue, it was much less stressful than I imagined. I am getting excited about making another box. It will be far less scary. And likely go much quicker, as I won't be goofing around trying to understand what I am doing.
> 
> Tonight's post is entitled 'Things I Love'... http://su.pr/3c4T3s I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Brian


Thanks HokieMojo. It is starting to look like a box. I am thrilled. I can't imagine what it is like to build something like a Krenov cabinet or anything more complex than a box.


----------



## helluvawreck

Ecocandle said:


> *Things I Love*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have glued the box together. It is a simple act, though I fussed over it for a long time. When the moment arrived to apply the glue, it was much less stressful than I imagined. I am getting excited about making another box. It will be far less scary. And likely go much quicker, as I won't be goofing around trying to understand what I am doing.
> 
> Tonight's post is entitled 'Things I Love'... http://su.pr/3c4T3s I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Brian


Sounds like you "march to the beat of a different drummer - however measured or far away". There ain't nothin' wrong with that. I'm sort of the same way myself. I liked the box and the stories.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Things I Love*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have glued the box together. It is a simple act, though I fussed over it for a long time. When the moment arrived to apply the glue, it was much less stressful than I imagined. I am getting excited about making another box. It will be far less scary. And likely go much quicker, as I won't be goofing around trying to understand what I am doing.
> 
> Tonight's post is entitled 'Things I Love'... http://su.pr/3c4T3s I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Brian


heeluvawreck,

I try to march to my own beat…though I am not very good at keeping time. Thanks for reading my adventures.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Right Shape*

Hello LJ's,

I have finished the box, well sort of. It looks like a box. I can do better though. I think I may start my next attempt tonight.

http://su.pr/1MBC9K

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *The Right Shape*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have finished the box, well sort of. It looks like a box. I can do better though. I think I may start my next attempt tonight.
> 
> http://su.pr/1MBC9K
> 
> Brian


Good looking tiny box. 
It has what any fine young box needs, 4 sides, a bottom and a lid.
What more can there be ?
A coat of stain or oil ?


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The Right Shape*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have finished the box, well sort of. It looks like a box. I can do better though. I think I may start my next attempt tonight.
> 
> http://su.pr/1MBC9K
> 
> Brian


yep you nailed or shuold I say glued the concept for a box 
as Canadien say

don´t be so hard on your self, after all you are the only one that will ever notice
no one ells will

and it is a fine little box

Dennis


----------



## tyskkvinna

Ecocandle said:


> *The Right Shape*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have finished the box, well sort of. It looks like a box. I can do better though. I think I may start my next attempt tonight.
> 
> http://su.pr/1MBC9K
> 
> Brian


Looks good!  Better than my third box attempt, to be honest, which presently has neither a lid nor a bottom.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *The Right Shape*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I have finished the box, well sort of. It looks like a box. I can do better though. I think I may start my next attempt tonight.
> 
> http://su.pr/1MBC9K
> 
> Brian


Thanks everyone. I think Canadianchips is right though, I need to get over my fear of stain and oil. I think I may try some oil first.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Great Day in the Shop*

Hello All,

I am starting a new tiny box. I decided to use Jeff the bandsaw to make my initial cuts. I learned a bunch about how to calibrate the table and get a good cut. All in all, it was a great day in the shop. I love my new bandsaw. Thanks everyone who suggested it as being a good choice for my next major tool purchase.

http://su.pr/1IZWqt

My post tonight is done, despite the power outages trying to stop me! Ha! I got it up anyway. 

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A Great Day in the Shop*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I am starting a new tiny box. I decided to use Jeff the bandsaw to make my initial cuts. I learned a bunch about how to calibrate the table and get a good cut. All in all, it was a great day in the shop. I love my new bandsaw. Thanks everyone who suggested it as being a good choice for my next major tool purchase.
> 
> http://su.pr/1IZWqt
> 
> My post tonight is done, despite the power outages trying to stop me! Ha! I got it up anyway.
> 
> Brian


it´s great to see you have alot of fun in the shop 

just put that planer so high on the wish-list yet 
with those smal peices it wouldn´t help anyway
I would surgest a lowangle blockplane with adjustble mouth instead

and now Jeff need a new line up of the table

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Great Day in the Shop*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I am starting a new tiny box. I decided to use Jeff the bandsaw to make my initial cuts. I learned a bunch about how to calibrate the table and get a good cut. All in all, it was a great day in the shop. I love my new bandsaw. Thanks everyone who suggested it as being a good choice for my next major tool purchase.
> 
> http://su.pr/1IZWqt
> 
> My post tonight is done, despite the power outages trying to stop me! Ha! I got it up anyway.
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

I agree that a planer wouldn't work with the small pieces, but I would simply adjust my work plans to get the wood planed before I cut it into small pieces. Though I do agree that a low angle block plane is on the list too.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Not to Worry*

Hello All,

Some of you, who read my blog, may be aware that I live in Martelle Iowa, which is on the southern edge of Jones county. If you have been watching the national news you may have heard about the damn which broke today. I am pleased to say that Martelle is not affected by the flood. I am sad for those fine folks in Monticello, as they have been hit very hard.

Tonight I am late with my post, because I was having so much fun in the shop, I just lost track of time. I have made it, in two days, to the point I was at after 2.5 weeks, on the last attempt.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/not-to-worry/

Brian


----------



## 559dustdesigns

Ecocandle said:


> *Not to Worry*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Some of you, who read my blog, may be aware that I live in Martelle Iowa, which is on the southern edge of Jones county. If you have been watching the national news you may have heard about the damn which broke today. I am pleased to say that Martelle is not affected by the flood. I am sad for those fine folks in Monticello, as they have been hit very hard.
> 
> Tonight I am late with my post, because I was having so much fun in the shop, I just lost track of time. I have made it, in two days, to the point I was at after 2.5 weeks, on the last attempt.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/not-to-worry/
> 
> Brian


Good to hear you didn't have to swim out to the shop.


----------



## meme

Ecocandle said:


> *Not to Worry*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Some of you, who read my blog, may be aware that I live in Martelle Iowa, which is on the southern edge of Jones county. If you have been watching the national news you may have heard about the damn which broke today. I am pleased to say that Martelle is not affected by the flood. I am sad for those fine folks in Monticello, as they have been hit very hard.
> 
> Tonight I am late with my post, because I was having so much fun in the shop, I just lost track of time. I have made it, in two days, to the point I was at after 2.5 weeks, on the last attempt.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/not-to-worry/
> 
> Brian


I just saw this flood on the news. So glad you were not in the middle of that!


----------



## Ecocandle

*Sunday is for being Social*

Hello LJ's,

I have become a featured blogger on the Des Moines register, so most Sunday's I will be writing my blog about Social Media. Today I wrote about why one would use Twitter.

Tonight's post is 'What is Twitter?' http://su.pr/2idoup

If you don't use Twitter, you might give it a try. There are a lot of really great woodworkers who hang out and chat. I am following several hundred really clever people.

Brian

@ExtremelyAvg (My Twitter Name)


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Ch 23*

Hello LJs,

It has been a long time coming, and for that I am sorry.

I have penned another chapter of the Henry Wood Mystery. Enjoy.

http://su.pr/1plPGE

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 23*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> It has been a long time coming, and for that I am sorry.
> 
> I have penned another chapter of the Henry Wood Mystery. Enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/1plPGE
> 
> Brian


thank´s for the break Brian
it´s not good if you can´t find the hidden ace in the dark
some light wood help alot 
there is one place were the light always seems to show up at the right moment every time.
maybee the stockmarket (sorry cuoldn´t resist)

please let there bee a little shorter between them
it such a pleasure to see you play around words and the story 

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 23*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> It has been a long time coming, and for that I am sorry.
> 
> I have penned another chapter of the Henry Wood Mystery. Enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/1plPGE
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

I will do my best to get another chapter up more quickly. I am glad you enjoyed the last one.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Detailed Explanation of My Methodology*

Hello LJ's,

It has been pointed out, and rightfully so, that I am really descriptive in every aspect of my blog posts, except my methodology. This is true and tonight I decided to give a much more detailed account of how I glue up a tiny box with 45 degree angled joints. I have lots of pictures and of course, a silly introduction.

Tragic Error in Communications - Extremely Average

http://su.pr/2dhgCI

Tonight's post made me chuckle. 

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *A Detailed Explanation of My Methodology*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> It has been pointed out, and rightfully so, that I am really descriptive in every aspect of my blog posts, except my methodology. This is true and tonight I decided to give a much more detailed account of how I glue up a tiny box with 45 degree angled joints. I have lots of pictures and of course, a silly introduction.
> 
> Tragic Error in Communications - Extremely Average
> 
> http://su.pr/2dhgCI
> 
> Tonight's post made me chuckle.
> 
> Brian


Just wondering , which tractor did win the tractor pull ? 
Trying to describe every detail is HARD. I was hired several years ago to write the S.O.P. (Standard Operating Procedure) manuals for our company. The first one was for an A.I. center, the second one was for the Transportation department. That was when I learned not to "assume" ANYTHING ! 
Best of Luck with the detail thing !


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *A Detailed Explanation of My Methodology*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> It has been pointed out, and rightfully so, that I am really descriptive in every aspect of my blog posts, except my methodology. This is true and tonight I decided to give a much more detailed account of how I glue up a tiny box with 45 degree angled joints. I have lots of pictures and of course, a silly introduction.
> 
> Tragic Error in Communications - Extremely Average
> 
> http://su.pr/2dhgCI
> 
> Tonight's post made me chuckle.
> 
> Brian


I liked this post a bunch. your methodology is certainly different from what I usually see. I think most people use a band clamp for this type of thing (or even very strong rubber bands if the box is too small for a band clamp). This was an innovative way to clamp small pieces.i think the rubber band idea would only work to get a "semi-strong" joint that would be sufficient until you could add splines. A miter is only so strong doe to endgrain to endgrain glue ups. I get the feeling you won't be abusing a box of this size though.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Detailed Explanation of My Methodology*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> It has been pointed out, and rightfully so, that I am really descriptive in every aspect of my blog posts, except my methodology. This is true and tonight I decided to give a much more detailed account of how I glue up a tiny box with 45 degree angled joints. I have lots of pictures and of course, a silly introduction.
> 
> Tragic Error in Communications - Extremely Average
> 
> http://su.pr/2dhgCI
> 
> Tonight's post made me chuckle.
> 
> Brian


You are right, I don't expect to be abusing it much. I had a tiny band clamp, which I broke this morning. Grrr…but I still would have done the first part the way I did. Oh well, perhaps I can fix the band clamp. But that is project for another day.


----------



## Ecocandle

*What I learned from the Tiny Oak Box*

Hello All,

I have finished the tiny oak box. It is ok. I learned a bit, so in that regard it is a success.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/what-i-leaned-from-the-tiny-oak-box/

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *What I learned from the Tiny Oak Box*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have finished the tiny oak box. It is ok. I learned a bit, so in that regard it is a success.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/what-i-leaned-from-the-tiny-oak-box/
> 
> Brian


Next shopping spree might be a 4"belt, 8" disk bench top sander. It will make life enjoyable when doing miters and small boxes.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *What I learned from the Tiny Oak Box*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have finished the tiny oak box. It is ok. I learned a bit, so in that regard it is a success.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/07/what-i-leaned-from-the-tiny-oak-box/
> 
> Brian


I think the next thing must be a planer. But that should probably be added to the list.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Just Goofing Around Today*

Hello LJ's,

Sometimes I like to just experiment. Today I mostly toyed around with an idea and to be honest, it never really got me fired up. Oh well, that happens sometimes.

http://su.pr/2WFLNo

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Karma is Watching*

Hello LJ's,

I can't think of a good teaser to tonight's blog. It is, on a scale of 1 to 37, a solid 28. Of course, you are welcome to score it differently.

http://su.pr/2qVDec

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Karma is Watching*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I can't think of a good teaser to tonight's blog. It is, on a scale of 1 to 37, a solid 28. Of course, you are welcome to score it differently.
> 
> http://su.pr/2qVDec
> 
> Brian


"SEE", that is what happens when people send stuff using BOX numbers and Zip codes !!!!!!!
I am so pleased that Wayne,Mario, Guy, and the others made it to you.
I do have a question: I grew up in a town that had 475 people (If the Millers were home we had over 500, 23 kids. REALLY) In Canadian standards 500 people is a town, under 500 is a village. So in reality the "Miller Family" made it the town that it is .
When I would go to post office we NEVER had a lineup.
So if Martelle only has 280 people, why would we expect there to be a lineup ? (lol)
Come to think of it, our post office did have 2 wicket booths…..WHY


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Karma is Watching*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I can't think of a good teaser to tonight's blog. It is, on a scale of 1 to 37, a solid 28. Of course, you are welcome to score it differently.
> 
> http://su.pr/2qVDec
> 
> Brian


I don't know if there has ever been a line at the Martelle Post office. I was being silly in that regard.

I am glad that Wayne Mario and Guy made it too.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Starting a Fence Alignment Gauge*

Hello LJs,

I decided to make a Gauge to help align my router table fence. This is something I have actually needed a few times. I had a fun time in the shop today.

http://su.pr/AtoRpg

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Extra Credit*

Hello All,

Today I tried out a trick I read about, to help fix small gaps in the corner of tiny boxes. I suppose it would work on a box that wasn't tiny, but I only have tiny boxes, so I can't say for sure. The point is, it worked marvelously and were I being graded on my boxes, the C- that I think they would have gotten, has been adjusted to a solid B!

Today I had a triumph. http://su.pr/1aCtZs

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Extra Credit*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I tried out a trick I read about, to help fix small gaps in the corner of tiny boxes. I suppose it would work on a box that wasn't tiny, but I only have tiny boxes, so I can't say for sure. The point is, it worked marvelously and were I being graded on my boxes, the C- that I think they would have gotten, has been adjusted to a solid B!
> 
> Today I had a triumph. http://su.pr/1aCtZs
> 
> Brian


congrat´s with your triumf over the corner 
and a niice little trick to have in the slives in a narrow situation )

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Brief Shop Session Today*

Hello All,

I didn't have much shop time today, but I did have a minor success. I successfully drilled a hole in a tiny piece of wood. I needed to put in a threaded insert and I did it without messing up the tiny piece of wood, something I felt was likely.

http://su.pr/17LZqv

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A Brief Shop Session Today*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't have much shop time today, but I did have a minor success. I successfully drilled a hole in a tiny piece of wood. I needed to put in a threaded insert and I did it without messing up the tiny piece of wood, something I felt was likely.
> 
> http://su.pr/17LZqv
> 
> Brian


hello Brian take a look at Mafe´s little jiig 
it´s a big helper when it comes to threaded inserts

http://lumberjocks.com/mafe

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*I Finished the Gauge*

Hello All,

I finished the Router Table Fence Gauge today and did a few other things. I would say that it isn't an especially entertaining post, but the pictures are nice.

I got last night's post up so late, I felt I should get tonight's up early.

http://su.pr/2Xl5o0

Brian

Now I am going to watch season II of 'Flight of the Conchords'...they are "New Zealand's '4th most popular Folk Parody Duo'" after all.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *I Finished the Gauge*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished the Router Table Fence Gauge today and did a few other things. I would say that it isn't an especially entertaining post, but the pictures are nice.
> 
> I got last night's post up so late, I felt I should get tonight's up early.
> 
> http://su.pr/2Xl5o0
> 
> Brian
> 
> Now I am going to watch season II of 'Flight of the Conchords'...they are "New Zealand's '4th most popular Folk Parody Duo'" after all.


I too, like when Jeff Giggles. THAT's the kind of writing I really enjoy.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Finished the Gauge*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished the Router Table Fence Gauge today and did a few other things. I would say that it isn't an especially entertaining post, but the pictures are nice.
> 
> I got last night's post up so late, I felt I should get tonight's up early.
> 
> http://su.pr/2Xl5o0
> 
> Brian
> 
> Now I am going to watch season II of 'Flight of the Conchords'...they are "New Zealand's '4th most popular Folk Parody Duo'" after all.


I will try to include more chatter from the peanut gallery!


----------



## Ecocandle

*I Was Efficient Today*

Hello All,

Today's blog was one of the longest I have ever written. I had a lot to share today, several good pictures. I don't think there has been a day I have enjoyed, year to date, as much as I enjoyed today's time in the shop.

http://su.pr/2ccN8g

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *I Was Efficient Today*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today's blog was one of the longest I have ever written. I had a lot to share today, several good pictures. I don't think there has been a day I have enjoyed, year to date, as much as I enjoyed today's time in the shop.
> 
> http://su.pr/2ccN8g
> 
> Brian


It is surprising how we can push ourselves enough to earn that "biscuit"


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I Was Efficient Today*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today's blog was one of the longest I have ever written. I had a lot to share today, several good pictures. I don't think there has been a day I have enjoyed, year to date, as much as I enjoyed today's time in the shop.
> 
> http://su.pr/2ccN8g
> 
> Brian


I love a biscuit! I also enjoy pushing myself.


----------



## Ecocandle

*When I Rule the World*

Hello All,

I have begun to try to understand finishing. It is going to be a long strange journey, filled with curse words, disappointment, and sorrow. But it is a necessary part of the the path to unsuckiness in woodworking.

http://su.pr/2I1wky

Brian


----------



## DocK16

Ecocandle said:


> *When I Rule the World*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to try to understand finishing. It is going to be a long strange journey, filled with curse words, disappointment, and sorrow. But it is a necessary part of the the path to unsuckiness in woodworking.
> 
> http://su.pr/2I1wky
> 
> Brian


unsuckiness…..?.......hmmm. good luck in vanquishing your varnishes, subduing your shelacs, and overcoming your oils.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *When I Rule the World*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to try to understand finishing. It is going to be a long strange journey, filled with curse words, disappointment, and sorrow. But it is a necessary part of the the path to unsuckiness in woodworking.
> 
> http://su.pr/2I1wky
> 
> Brian


LOL…really good comment. Two points!


----------



## Ecocandle

*More Lumber*

Hello,

I may have a problem. I love buying wood. Today I found some at a garage sale.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/08/more-lumber/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *More Lumber*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I may have a problem. I love buying wood. Today I found some at a garage sale.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/08/more-lumber/
> 
> Brian


Brian it sounds like you are pretty normal
besides wood the only other thing a woodworker can´t have enoff of is tools
and I can´t see a problem in that, you fit right in

looking forward to see what you come up with, with your score
have a great sunday

Dennis


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *More Lumber*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I may have a problem. I love buying wood. Today I found some at a garage sale.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/08/more-lumber/
> 
> Brian


*No No No*, buying wood is *NOT* a problem ! You need wood to do the work your doing.
It would be a problem if you bought it and DIDN'T want to cut into it !
Having lumber on HAND is cost effective as well.
Calculate the cost of Driving to your lumber place (mileage + fuel + labor) picking up the exact piece you need, driving home, cutting it wrong and going back for more ! 
A little pile stacked up neatly isn't so bad.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I did the math...*

Hello LJ's,

I took great care today and mapped out what I needed to do. This planning yielded the best tiny box bottoms I have yet created. I also finally got that rare earth magnet tool holder, hung on my wall. I built it months ago, but until yesterday, didn't have the right router bit to cut the key holes.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/08/finding-my-way-with-a-compass/

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*I made another jig*

Hello LJ's,

Today I made a jig to hold my belt sander upside down for detail work. I love building jigs. It is fun and when the jig is done, I have a new way to do woodworking. I love this stuff.

I named my belt sander today, and did some other fun stuff too.

http://su.pr/2CrLCs

Brian


----------



## DenverDave

Ecocandle said:


> *I made another jig*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I made a jig to hold my belt sander upside down for detail work. I love building jigs. It is fun and when the jig is done, I have a new way to do woodworking. I love this stuff.
> 
> I named my belt sander today, and did some other fun stuff too.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CrLCs
> 
> Brian


Good idea! I've been clamping my belt sander in the vise. A jig would work better.


----------



## Robb

Ecocandle said:


> *I made another jig*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I made a jig to hold my belt sander upside down for detail work. I love building jigs. It is fun and when the jig is done, I have a new way to do woodworking. I love this stuff.
> 
> I named my belt sander today, and did some other fun stuff too.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CrLCs
> 
> Brian


I like your jig! I've been thinking of doing something similar, but I'd like to get the body of the sander completely submerged, so to speak, in the jig, so that the jig could be used sort of like a "sanding jointer," if you can follow my logic. If I ever get to building it, I'll post it so you can see what I mean.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I made another jig*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I made a jig to hold my belt sander upside down for detail work. I love building jigs. It is fun and when the jig is done, I have a new way to do woodworking. I love this stuff.
> 
> I named my belt sander today, and did some other fun stuff too.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CrLCs
> 
> Brian


Robb,

That is a good idea. I don't have a jointer and have been using my router table as a jointer. I just add an aluminum piece which is 1/32 thick, just past the bit. I beveled the plate and then I clamp it to the fence. It works pretty well.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I made another jig*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I made a jig to hold my belt sander upside down for detail work. I love building jigs. It is fun and when the jig is done, I have a new way to do woodworking. I love this stuff.
> 
> I named my belt sander today, and did some other fun stuff too.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CrLCs
> 
> Brian


hello Brian great little jiig for Dusty and the idea of using the safty switch Bravo !
this thing abouit cuting into the corner is it becourse you want to ad some splines ?
if so then look at Mafe´s and Maveric 777 jiigs I admit they are made for a tabelsaw 
but can easely be used on a bandsaw

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/31186
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/31169

if not then I will lok forward to se what you come up with
have a great week
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I made another jig*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I made a jig to hold my belt sander upside down for detail work. I love building jigs. It is fun and when the jig is done, I have a new way to do woodworking. I love this stuff.
> 
> I named my belt sander today, and did some other fun stuff too.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CrLCs
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

Yes, I want to add some splines. I will check them out. Thanks. 

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I made another jig*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I made a jig to hold my belt sander upside down for detail work. I love building jigs. It is fun and when the jig is done, I have a new way to do woodworking. I love this stuff.
> 
> I named my belt sander today, and did some other fun stuff too.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CrLCs
> 
> Brian


Brian 
by the way if you turn the idea around such of speak you can make
one so you can use your precius japenese handsaws I think they want 
to execide the muscle a little

best thought´s 
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I made another jig*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I made a jig to hold my belt sander upside down for detail work. I love building jigs. It is fun and when the jig is done, I have a new way to do woodworking. I love this stuff.
> 
> I named my belt sander today, and did some other fun stuff too.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CrLCs
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

I really need to give the Japanese hand saws names. I did use one of them the other day, to cut the walnut down to size. I still love them.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I made another jig*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I made a jig to hold my belt sander upside down for detail work. I love building jigs. It is fun and when the jig is done, I have a new way to do woodworking. I love this stuff.
> 
> I named my belt sander today, and did some other fun stuff too.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CrLCs
> 
> Brian


nomatter how much I realy want to help you with japanese names I´m blank there
I know they have a big historic persons way back
may bee you can bee inspired from the serie Shogun or other movies that have a historic
time stage (or what ever the right name is , I´m not a moviemaker lol )
or from one of the new cosmic albums with this new way of making drawings
short easey spelled names there isn´t too strange for our ears


----------



## Ecocandle

*Sanding Away the Hours*

Hello All,

Today I mostly sanded lids. Noting too exciting there. But as I set the beautiful pieces of wood next to one another, I started to see things a bit differently, and I found inspiration.

http://su.pr/30Fafy

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Sanding Away the Hours*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I mostly sanded lids. Noting too exciting there. But as I set the beautiful pieces of wood next to one another, I started to see things a bit differently, and I found inspiration.
> 
> http://su.pr/30Fafy
> 
> Brian


When you start to put stain or varethane or poly or whatever you choose you will once again see these boxes differently. Maybe a sanding mark, maybe a glue stain. The finish can make or break a good piece of work. I once made a eautiful set of kitchen cabinets for my Aunt. They turned out remarkable. The person that did the finishing for me on a regular basis did an outstanding job. I got a lot of advertising doing these cabinets. 
The people down the road saw tham and I was given the job to do theirs. They wanted same design. I built them, BUT they decided to apply the finish themselves. They choose a crappy color, a poor varnish and really ruined the work I did. I was heartbroken, THEY realized the mistake THEY made !
GOOD luck in choosing your finish. Another learning curve perhaps ?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Sanding Away the Hours*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today I mostly sanded lids. Noting too exciting there. But as I set the beautiful pieces of wood next to one another, I started to see things a bit differently, and I found inspiration.
> 
> http://su.pr/30Fafy
> 
> Brian


Yes…the finishing portion will likely ruin a good number of the boxes, but that is why I have 12 of them. Plenty of boxes to practice on.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Going Batty for Finishing*

Hello All,

I did a test bit of finishing today. I have been a little bit frightened to get started, but it was a lovely evening and I felt the finishing gods were speaking to me. Or perhaps it was the bat couple flying about? I am not sure, but it was a good night.

http://su.pr/1KNQxU

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Tiny Box Update*

Hello All,

I realize that every night is a tiny box update, but tonight I included a bunch of pictures of the previously completed boxes.

http://su.pr/17p9pN

Ok, I am off to hang out with some of my classmates from the Ames High School class of 1985. It has been 25 years. It seems like I should have gotten a bit more done. Oh well.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Tiny Box Update*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I realize that every night is a tiny box update, but tonight I included a bunch of pictures of the previously completed boxes.
> 
> http://su.pr/17p9pN
> 
> Ok, I am off to hang out with some of my classmates from the Ames High School class of 1985. It has been 25 years. It seems like I should have gotten a bit more done. Oh well.
> 
> Brian


hello Brian 
your boxes start to come together very niice
and the isue about finish or no finish
well you have to make some some test stick to apply your different finish so you can decide
what you are going to do, you have to make test for every different wood you use thats the only way
and you will discover how the colours will pop right out of the wood speciel the darker ones

have a great weekend
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Very little woodworking in tonight's post.*

Hello All,

This weekend was my 25th high school reunion. Tonight's post is a bit different. I sort of wrote it for me. I don't know if it is worth a read or not. http://bit.ly/bOD0hU

Brian


----------



## FatherHooligan

Ecocandle said:


> *Very little woodworking in tonight's post.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> This weekend was my 25th high school reunion. Tonight's post is a bit different. I sort of wrote it for me. I don't know if it is worth a read or not. http://bit.ly/bOD0hU
> 
> Brian


Never went to the 25th re-union…too busy at work. Never thought about it until I read your blog.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Very little woodworking in tonight's post.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> This weekend was my 25th high school reunion. Tonight's post is a bit different. I sort of wrote it for me. I don't know if it is worth a read or not. http://bit.ly/bOD0hU
> 
> Brian


Due to my own insecurities, I never attended our class reunion. I was not a cool kid . 
It is only through facebook that I have connected with some of the kids I went to school with. Somedays I wish I would have attended ?


----------



## Ecocandle

*Not What I wanted to Write...*

Hello All,

After last night's post, and then the subsequent drinking in Lisbon, I really wanted to tell the 'rest of the story', but alas I am suffering a bit today. So I decided it was best to get back to woodworking, which is what most people like best anyway.

I have started my router table spline jig and am sending out a call for naming two more of my tools. There is a picture of the tools who need names, so if anyone would like to help, feel free to chime in. The naming of the two Lie-Nelson chisels was really fun, so I am looking forward to hearing people's ideas for my 3/8 inch Irwin chisel and my Japanese hand saw with the blue handle.

Tonight's post is Fun! Talking Tools…a request for two names…I think you will like it.

http://su.pr/AKj3DC

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Not What I wanted to Write...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> After last night's post, and then the subsequent drinking in Lisbon, I really wanted to tell the 'rest of the story', but alas I am suffering a bit today. So I decided it was best to get back to woodworking, which is what most people like best anyway.
> 
> I have started my router table spline jig and am sending out a call for naming two more of my tools. There is a picture of the tools who need names, so if anyone would like to help, feel free to chime in. The naming of the two Lie-Nelson chisels was really fun, so I am looking forward to hearing people's ideas for my 3/8 inch Irwin chisel and my Japanese hand saw with the blue handle.
> 
> Tonight's post is Fun! Talking Tools…a request for two names…I think you will like it.
> 
> http://su.pr/AKj3DC
> 
> Brian


hello Brian I look forward to see your jiig 
but havn´t named your saw and your first cheisel come as a surprize to me
and allso that they havn´t said anything about it
so a name for the cheisel shuold deffently express how humble he is in attitude
and the saw is a dubleedge with some beautyfull gratitude like a dancer when it cut

thats the closest I can come this time Brian sorry
best thoughts 
Dennis


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Not What I wanted to Write...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> After last night's post, and then the subsequent drinking in Lisbon, I really wanted to tell the 'rest of the story', but alas I am suffering a bit today. So I decided it was best to get back to woodworking, which is what most people like best anyway.
> 
> I have started my router table spline jig and am sending out a call for naming two more of my tools. There is a picture of the tools who need names, so if anyone would like to help, feel free to chime in. The naming of the two Lie-Nelson chisels was really fun, so I am looking forward to hearing people's ideas for my 3/8 inch Irwin chisel and my Japanese hand saw with the blue handle.
> 
> Tonight's post is Fun! Talking Tools…a request for two names…I think you will like it.
> 
> http://su.pr/AKj3DC
> 
> Brian


I think we shall call the saw "Kyoto" 
and perhaps the Blue Irwin chisel "Softy"


----------



## Ecocandle

*So tonight I wrote the post I wanted to write yesterday.*

Hello All,

The hangover has subsided and I was able to write 'The Threads of Time pt. 2'.

http://su.pr/24ld3b

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *So tonight I wrote the post I wanted to write yesterday.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> The hangover has subsided and I was able to write 'The Threads of Time pt. 2'.
> 
> http://su.pr/24ld3b
> 
> Brian


That photo of "refreshments" kinda made me thirsty.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *So tonight I wrote the post I wanted to write yesterday.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> The hangover has subsided and I was able to write 'The Threads of Time pt. 2'.
> 
> http://su.pr/24ld3b
> 
> Brian


Cheers


----------



## Ecocandle

*Tonight I felt Clever*

Hello All,

Tonight I had the tiniest of triumphs. I love it when I am able to come up with a clever clamping solution. I am not sure why, but each time I do, I feel great about it. That is all that happened tonight, I figured something out and then had to write about it.

A small success tonight, which made me feel very clever. http://su.pr/6YPgV9

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight I felt Clever*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had the tiniest of triumphs. I love it when I am able to come up with a clever clamping solution. I am not sure why, but each time I do, I feel great about it. That is all that happened tonight, I figured something out and then had to write about it.
> 
> A small success tonight, which made me feel very clever. http://su.pr/6YPgV9
> 
> Brian


well well well the first things you build and then you almost forget them , not good
at least you now have discovered that like your workbench that is build for multi jobs
so is sawhoreses and sawbenches even a onsite tooltote if its build good

have a great day Brian (have you found names yet)

Dennis


----------



## Ken90712

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight I felt Clever*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had the tiniest of triumphs. I love it when I am able to come up with a clever clamping solution. I am not sure why, but each time I do, I feel great about it. That is all that happened tonight, I figured something out and then had to write about it.
> 
> A small success tonight, which made me feel very clever. http://su.pr/6YPgV9
> 
> Brian


Great thinking, does make you feel good!


----------



## helluvawreck

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight I felt Clever*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had the tiniest of triumphs. I love it when I am able to come up with a clever clamping solution. I am not sure why, but each time I do, I feel great about it. That is all that happened tonight, I figured something out and then had to write about it.
> 
> A small success tonight, which made me feel very clever. http://su.pr/6YPgV9
> 
> Brian


Very clever. BTW, your blog is very nice - very clean looking - and you write very well. I'll take a look at it more often to see what you are up to.


----------



## rance

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight I felt Clever*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had the tiniest of triumphs. I love it when I am able to come up with a clever clamping solution. I am not sure why, but each time I do, I feel great about it. That is all that happened tonight, I figured something out and then had to write about it.
> 
> A small success tonight, which made me feel very clever. http://su.pr/6YPgV9
> 
> Brian


Sorry Brian, but I don't see the idea you are trying to get across. I can't tell which one is the sawhorse, or the jig, or your work. And for the life of me I can't see any triangles that you mention. I'm sure its just me, hopefully just a brain fart.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight I felt Clever*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had the tiniest of triumphs. I love it when I am able to come up with a clever clamping solution. I am not sure why, but each time I do, I feel great about it. That is all that happened tonight, I figured something out and then had to write about it.
> 
> A small success tonight, which made me feel very clever. http://su.pr/6YPgV9
> 
> Brian


I am certain that as you were thinking of an alternative idea "thinking out loud" Tracy piped up and was calling "Pick Me, Pick Me".
Arn't you glad you have talking tools to help you ?
I see the triangles.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight I felt Clever*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had the tiniest of triumphs. I love it when I am able to come up with a clever clamping solution. I am not sure why, but each time I do, I feel great about it. That is all that happened tonight, I figured something out and then had to write about it.
> 
> A small success tonight, which made me feel very clever. http://su.pr/6YPgV9
> 
> Brian


Rance,

The top piece has two screws on the right hand side, which are holding one of the triangle pieces to the top piece. Then it rest over the top of the saw horse and the other triangle piece is clamped to the side of the saw horse. This holds it in place, so that I was able to drill the two pilot holes. If you look at the photo, you will notice that there are two holes, without screws yet. Below them are the triangular piece in question. I hope that helps.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight I felt Clever*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had the tiniest of triumphs. I love it when I am able to come up with a clever clamping solution. I am not sure why, but each time I do, I feel great about it. That is all that happened tonight, I figured something out and then had to write about it.
> 
> A small success tonight, which made me feel very clever. http://su.pr/6YPgV9
> 
> Brian


Helluvawreck,

Thanks for all the kind words about my blog. I have had such a good time writing it. There are 226 post, since Jan 2, some are better than other. About 88% are relating to woodworking, with a few that are more creative writing. I recommend the Camel Musings, if you just want to read something fun.

Brian


----------



## rance

Ecocandle said:


> *Tonight I felt Clever*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had the tiniest of triumphs. I love it when I am able to come up with a clever clamping solution. I am not sure why, but each time I do, I feel great about it. That is all that happened tonight, I figured something out and then had to write about it.
> 
> A small success tonight, which made me feel very clever. http://su.pr/6YPgV9
> 
> Brian


Thanks Brian, it makes sense now.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Almost Done*

Hello All,

As you know, if you read my blog, I have been trying to make a tiny box from Doug Stowe's book, "Basic Box Making". I have just completed my spline jig for my router table and tried it out today. There was success, joy, maybe a bit of dancing. I am very excited. I hope to have one (of 12) of my boxes completely finished tomorrow.

http://su.pr/2CMbXO

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Almost Done*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> As you know, if you read my blog, I have been trying to make a tiny box from Doug Stowe's book, "Basic Box Making". I have just completed my spline jig for my router table and tried it out today. There was success, joy, maybe a bit of dancing. I am very excited. I hope to have one (of 12) of my boxes completely finished tomorrow.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CMbXO
> 
> Brian


niice little Jiig Brian
but ain´t you a little restricted to the size of boxes where you can use it
or did you made it with exstra equiptment  like a topmodel car

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Almost Done*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> As you know, if you read my blog, I have been trying to make a tiny box from Doug Stowe's book, "Basic Box Making". I have just completed my spline jig for my router table and tried it out today. There was success, joy, maybe a bit of dancing. I am very excited. I hope to have one (of 12) of my boxes completely finished tomorrow.
> 
> http://su.pr/2CMbXO
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

I am limited yes. But since the holder is removable, I could always build another one. In truth, it isn't my best designed jig.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Thanks to Tom and Ralph*

Hello All,

It was strange how both Tom and Ralph sent me things today, which I seemed to need. I am not sure how they knew I was in peril (ok that may be to strong a word, slightly confused would be more accurate), but they came through. Thanks!

http://su.pr/1k1Cfz

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*

Hello All,

I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.

A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.

So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.

http://su.pr/2jfLqM

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Gregn

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Not sure what to tell you. Although there was a pricing survey results here a short time ago you might get an idea how to come up with a price.
http://www.thehuffordfurnituregroup.com/LumberJocksPricingSurvey.htm
This will help parting with them a little easier. LOL


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


I really just wanted people's opinion. There isn't a right or wrong answer.

That was an interesting study. Thanks for the link.


----------



## Gregn

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


It wasn't meant to be an answer but things to think about in pricing your work. I to would have a difficult time pricing my own work if I were to sell any of it myself. I guess being a woodworker you naturally think of price as something you can do cheaper, or like stuff in the store you think I can make it better. Its like you said its hard to part with something your attached to. If money isn't the main objective you could have fun with it and have an mini auction with those interested and start at the lowest amount you feel comfortable with and see how much they would be willing to bid on them. You might be surprised at how much they think your boxes are worth.


----------



## BobG

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


That's a tough question! If you sold them for enough to cover time and materials plus know how, you would have to charge at least $75.00 each. I think it would be hard to do unless you had an outlet in a very affluent area. During these times that is hard to come by.


----------



## Bearpie

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


To be perfectly frank, "Time" means nothing unless you are doing this for a living. "Materials" means nothing unless you are rich and can afford to give it away. "Profit" means nothing unless you are greedy. Now you have to juggle and find the happy medium with which you can work with. The values you set for yourself may not apply to me and the set values I apply to myself may be way more than you can afford or maybe not! It is one thing to sell to strangers and completely another to sell to family. You will give to family what you would not give to strangers. Really, no one can give you a set price to put on your projects, only suggestions of variables that may apply to each different situations. You may charge family one price for an object and strangers another. You may charge a price today that tomorrow you would double for the same thing. What it boils down to is, "What do you really want for this piece or what do you must have?".

Erwin, Jacksonville, FL


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Bearpie,

Your question, "What do you really want for this piece?" is one I know the answer to. I didn't want to mention that in the post, as I didn't want to skew the results. Everyone's response has been helpful. I was curious if the answers would be greater or less than the number I had in my mind.

As for your other points, I agree on 'Time' and 'Materials'. That is very much how a TOC person thinks about pricing. If one is trying to run a business, they should focus on througput. 

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Gregan,

I think you are right on the mark, about how woodworkers think about things when they see them. Or at the very least, that is how I think about it. I really do appreciate the link you sent, it was helpful.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Bob,

Thanks for giving an answer. All of the answers, both here and on my blog, have been incredibly helpful.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Jorge,

I am not offended in the least by your number. I am not making the tiny boxes, because I am hoping to create a product which I will sell. I am making them because I am hope to become better at woodworking. When I get done with them though, there are a few people who have expressed an interest in them. My query was to help me get an idea of their perceived value, which is exactly the answer you gave me. 

I completely agree with you about the comparison of photography to woodworking. I sell most of my photos for just a few dollars. I make almost nothing over the course of a year. But it is still a thrill when someone buys one.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Shattered Jig or I Need Your Help*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I had a brief disaster in the shop today, and as such, exploded my spline cutting jig. Sometimes that happens. On another not, my herd of boxes is nearly finished…I hope…though the finishing stages do seem to be dragging on…but I digress.
> 
> A couple of people have expressed interest in my tiny boxes. I had not planned on selling any of them, but now I think I might be willing to part with a few of them. Which presents a bit of a quandary, how much should I charge for a tiny box? To be honest, I am not entirely sure I want to part with any of them, but when I am done with the current batch of 12, and I have 14 boxes roaming around the house, looking all cute and everything, I might be willing to let a few go to new homes.
> 
> So if you wish to give your opinion, feel free to check out the boxes which are nearly done. And give your two cents worth. I should mention that all of the boxes will have splines which match the lid, but of course, I need to fix the jig with was spectacularly destroyed today.
> 
> http://su.pr/2jfLqM
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


JorgeG,

I liked your portfolio, especially the doorway shots. I have always been fascinated with doors and doorways, though I am not sure why. Perhaps it is the excitement over what might be behind the next door? I don't know.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Valley of Mediocrity*

Hello All,

I did a very simply inlay today. It was really quite thrilling. Inlays are cool. Now I need to try something without straight lines.

The title of my blog post is 'Valley of Mediocrity', which made me chuckle. Sometimes that is my only goal. 

http://su.pr/2aD7RF

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Enlightenment*

Hello All,

I just thought I would let you know that tonight's post is up. It isn't about woodworking though. I haven't done a piece about Social Media in a month or so, and a few of my regular readers requested one. So I discuss Digg and will be checking out that site, to see if it helps my blog.

http://digg.com/d31aCvy

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Enlightenment*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just thought I would let you know that tonight's post is up. It isn't about woodworking though. I haven't done a piece about Social Media in a month or so, and a few of my regular readers requested one. So I discuss Digg and will be checking out that site, to see if it helps my blog.
> 
> http://digg.com/d31aCvy
> 
> Brian


Things I NEED to know :
Do Hoggeraths have one or two tusks ?
Are visitors allowed to pick celery from the celeroni plateau ?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Enlightenment*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just thought I would let you know that tonight's post is up. It isn't about woodworking though. I haven't done a piece about Social Media in a month or so, and a few of my regular readers requested one. So I discuss Digg and will be checking out that site, to see if it helps my blog.
> 
> http://digg.com/d31aCvy
> 
> Brian


They have three tusks, but one of them is smaller and barely noticable.

Yes, they are!


----------



## Ecocandle

*I gave Tung oil a try...*

Hello LJ's,

Tonight I decided to give Tung oil a try. I diluted it, as per the instructions, at 4:1, and applied it to one of my tiny boxes. I am very happy with the results.

http://su.pr/AVLw5A

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *I gave Tung oil a try...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I decided to give Tung oil a try. I diluted it, as per the instructions, at 4:1, and applied it to one of my tiny boxes. I am very happy with the results.
> 
> http://su.pr/AVLw5A
> 
> Brian


Any story where your tools or your work in the shop can talk, is a GOOD STORY. Thanks !


----------



## Kindlingmaker

Ecocandle said:


> *I gave Tung oil a try...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I decided to give Tung oil a try. I diluted it, as per the instructions, at 4:1, and applied it to one of my tiny boxes. I am very happy with the results.
> 
> http://su.pr/AVLw5A
> 
> Brian


I love Tung Oil! A great story! I have only used one brand and would like to try some others and see if they are different…


----------



## smitty22

Ecocandle said:


> *I gave Tung oil a try...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I decided to give Tung oil a try. I diluted it, as per the instructions, at 4:1, and applied it to one of my tiny boxes. I am very happy with the results.
> 
> http://su.pr/AVLw5A
> 
> Brian


Brian, love the story, Major the box tickled me. And Catch 22 is one of my all-time favorites, laughed out loud most of the way through the read!

Tung Oil is also one of my all time favorities although not for furniture but for walnut gun stocks. Started with Formsby's Tung Oil finish which reportedly has no tung oil, but now use a mix of pure tung oil, Formsbys, and mineral spirits, 1/3 each plus sometimes a bit of japan drier.
Cheers!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I gave Tung oil a try...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I decided to give Tung oil a try. I diluted it, as per the instructions, at 4:1, and applied it to one of my tiny boxes. I am very happy with the results.
> 
> http://su.pr/AVLw5A
> 
> Brian


I am so glad that all of you liked the story. I really enjoy the posts where the tools talk too. They are the most fun to write, but I don't do it every time, as it might get stale if I did.

I agree with Kindlingmaker, I want to try some other brands too. The mixture that Smitty22 mentioned sounds good too.


----------



## Dark_Lightning

Ecocandle said:


> *I gave Tung oil a try...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I decided to give Tung oil a try. I diluted it, as per the instructions, at 4:1, and applied it to one of my tiny boxes. I am very happy with the results.
> 
> http://su.pr/AVLw5A
> 
> Brian


Interesting little boxes, and story. I'm going to have to start that spline business on my little boxes. Miters just aren't cutting it.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I gave Tung oil a try...*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Tonight I decided to give Tung oil a try. I diluted it, as per the instructions, at 4:1, and applied it to one of my tiny boxes. I am very happy with the results.
> 
> http://su.pr/AVLw5A
> 
> Brian


AtomJack,

These are the first boxes I have made, so I can't say how they compare to boxes without, but I do like the looks of them. I did splines on 6 more boxes last night and I am getting faster at them now. I really expected it to be a challenge, but it is not so bad, especially with the jig I built.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Chapter 24 is up!*

Hello All,

I have finally added another chapter to the Henry Wood Saga…and I included a photo…with a tiny box in it…so it is doubly great. For those who have been following the Henry Wood Detective Agency, you will be happy to know, that I have finally figured out the rest of the story in my head, so the chapters will come more frequently now.  Enjoy.

http://su.pr/5Xj430

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Have to give a Shout Out*

Hello All,

Tonight I had to give a 'Shout Out' to a great blog, by Shannon, The Renaissance Woodworker. He created his video podcast just for me today, and it was really helpful. His explanation of how one uses hand planes is perhaps the best I have seen.

http://su.pr/1CyxjX

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Have to give a Shout Out*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had to give a 'Shout Out' to a great blog, by Shannon, The Renaissance Woodworker. He created his video podcast just for me today, and it was really helpful. His explanation of how one uses hand planes is perhaps the best I have seen.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CyxjX
> 
> Brian


Hello Brian 
havn´t seen the vidio but I will do 
I disagree with what shannon said
even a smoother cuold get that board flat as a …....(children on the site)..LOL
I have a wooden scrup and a wooden Jack they wood both get that job done fast and easey
just plane diogonal from corner to corner and then chance direction and plane the oppesite way
and use those sticks hayvely

good luck
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Have to give a Shout Out*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had to give a 'Shout Out' to a great blog, by Shannon, The Renaissance Woodworker. He created his video podcast just for me today, and it was really helpful. His explanation of how one uses hand planes is perhaps the best I have seen.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CyxjX
> 
> Brian


Jorge,

Yes, my blog has a link to his video.

Here it is the link to his blog directly (the video is after the 2nd paragraph.) http://rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog/2010/08/26/rww-96-avoiding-the-planing-taper-planecraft-101/

Brian


----------



## BigTiny

Ecocandle said:


> *Have to give a Shout Out*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had to give a 'Shout Out' to a great blog, by Shannon, The Renaissance Woodworker. He created his video podcast just for me today, and it was really helpful. His explanation of how one uses hand planes is perhaps the best I have seen.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CyxjX
> 
> Brian


Thanks for the directions to his blog. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and now want to build a similar chuting board.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Have to give a Shout Out*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I had to give a 'Shout Out' to a great blog, by Shannon, The Renaissance Woodworker. He created his video podcast just for me today, and it was really helpful. His explanation of how one uses hand planes is perhaps the best I have seen.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CyxjX
> 
> Brian


Big Tiny,

I am glad you liked it. I may build one too. 

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Fixing the gaps*

Hello All,

Tonight I tried my hand at fixing some tiny gaps in the splines on the boxes I am building. I think it worked out quite well.

http://su.pr/2e0Nxf

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Fixing the gaps*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I tried my hand at fixing some tiny gaps in the splines on the boxes I am building. I think it worked out quite well.
> 
> http://su.pr/2e0Nxf
> 
> Brian


I am convinced "Disney " has a place for your talking tools and boxes. I really like these stories.
Buy the way: Don't quit working on your warped board. Hand planes can make it true and flat. Keep at it.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Fixing the gaps*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I tried my hand at fixing some tiny gaps in the splines on the boxes I am building. I think it worked out quite well.
> 
> http://su.pr/2e0Nxf
> 
> Brian


Canadianchips,

I consider the warped board my 'Everest'. One day, it will be flat, and smooth…though it may only be 1/8th of an inch thick by that time. 

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*The post is up...*

Hello All,

I am feeling a bit icky today, so I started out to write a really lame post. I may have accidentally written a slightly entertaining one, I can't be sure. There isn't any woodworking stuff tonight, but there is a photo of a duck, so it has that going for it. It might be good…it might stink…I am just not sure. The 3 photos are nice though.

http://su.pr/6RVkZX <My post tonight is…well…it started out as rubbish and then finished strong…I might actually like it.

Brian


----------



## tyskkvinna

Ecocandle said:


> *The post is up...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I am feeling a bit icky today, so I started out to write a really lame post. I may have accidentally written a slightly entertaining one, I can't be sure. There isn't any woodworking stuff tonight, but there is a photo of a duck, so it has that going for it. It might be good…it might stink…I am just not sure. The 3 photos are nice though.
> 
> http://su.pr/6RVkZX <My post tonight is…well…it started out as rubbish and then finished strong…I might actually like it.
> 
> Brian


feel better


----------



## Ecocandle

*More Henry Wood*

Hello All,

I am going to try to continue to update the Henry Wood Detective Agency story more frequently. So tonight I continued from where I left off a couple of days ago, and finished chapter 24. It had felt a bit short to me, so I wrote a little more.

http://su.pr/3Rwl0C

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I am going to try to continue to update the Henry Wood Detective Agency story more frequently. So tonight I continued from where I left off a couple of days ago, and finished chapter 24. It had felt a bit short to me, so I wrote a little more.
> 
> http://su.pr/3Rwl0C
> 
> Brian


 thank´s Brian for the 2×5 minuts break  missed the last one 
and I like the way you came around to put the tiny box 
in to the story with a picture of your work now I just have to see 
if there shuold bee one or two cookkies as left overs from the weekend 
to read this made me hungry for sweets.

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I am going to try to continue to update the Henry Wood Detective Agency story more frequently. So tonight I continued from where I left off a couple of days ago, and finished chapter 24. It had felt a bit short to me, so I wrote a little more.
> 
> http://su.pr/3Rwl0C
> 
> Brian


I am glad you got caught up and enjoyed it.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Nearing the Finish Line*

Hello,

I am nearly done with the tiny boxes. I put some Tung oil on several of them last night and learned a couple of valuable lessons.

http://su.pr/1bwGRS

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Nearing the Finish Line*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I am nearly done with the tiny boxes. I put some Tung oil on several of them last night and learned a couple of valuable lessons.
> 
> http://su.pr/1bwGRS
> 
> Brian


 don´t be so hard to your self no one ells will ever notice some of your small
mistakes and design changes over the years except yourself 
its proppely the worst part of being a woodworker you will proppely
20 years from now still remember every little mistake you maybee make
in your things and cuold point them out 2 secunds later if you see the piece again

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Nearing the Finish Line*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I am nearly done with the tiny boxes. I put some Tung oil on several of them last night and learned a couple of valuable lessons.
> 
> http://su.pr/1bwGRS
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

You are probably right. I am being too hard on myself, but I do give myself credit for all the progress I have made. So that is good. 

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Nearing the Finish Line*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I am nearly done with the tiny boxes. I put some Tung oil on several of them last night and learned a couple of valuable lessons.
> 
> http://su.pr/1bwGRS
> 
> Brian


 I know what you meen , I just made my first perfect cut with the japanese saw
I bought a while back and it was selebrated with an exstra goood cup of coffee 
would you think my daughter was way ahead of me on that saw….lol
I gess i´m tooo stocked to the western metode of sawing…lol
I think I have to place the japanese over hers bench, after all they were bought
to see if she better handled them than the western saw i have (I gess I have to sneak use them)

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Nearing the Finish Line*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I am nearly done with the tiny boxes. I put some Tung oil on several of them last night and learned a couple of valuable lessons.
> 
> http://su.pr/1bwGRS
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

I am sure she would be happy to give her father a lesson in hand sawing with 'her' Japanese hand saw.

I started with the Japanese hand saws, mostly because of an article I read in a woodworking magazine. I hadn't used a western saw in 20 years or so, and so there wasn't any difficulty switching from push to pull. I am sure that a skilled person could work with either, but I am not such a person. So I think I will stick with the Japanese hand saw, because I like them, and I think they are sort of cool.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Introducing Fred*

Hello All,

I finished another tiny box. http://su.pr/2HV6P5

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing Fred*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished another tiny box. http://su.pr/2HV6P5
> 
> Brian


Once again, you make my day end with me smiling. Thanks.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing Fred*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished another tiny box. http://su.pr/2HV6P5
> 
> Brian


I am glad I made your day. Fred is very excited that someone has already adopted him. Tomorrow he will be heading off to his new home in Connecticut.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing Fred*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished another tiny box. http://su.pr/2HV6P5
> 
> Brian


 and congrats Brian

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing Fred*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished another tiny box. http://su.pr/2HV6P5
> 
> Brian


Thanks Dennis. It is thrilling to sell something I made with my own hands. The gentleman who bought him is very friendly and I know Fred will be going to a good home.


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing Fred*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished another tiny box. http://su.pr/2HV6P5
> 
> Brian


Brian,
I've got to say that your latest box came out Extremely ABOVE Average. It's been fun watching you progress to this state. Sometimes it can get tedious working on the same things over and over while practicing. Your experience is a good reminder that it will pay dividends in the end. I really have to say this one came out great. 
-JC


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Introducing Fred*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I finished another tiny box. http://su.pr/2HV6P5
> 
> Brian


HokieMojo,

I really appreciate your comments. There were certainly times, the lids come to mind, where it was a bit tedious. I am very happy with how the boxes now look, and comparing them to the first two, before the batch of 12, they are a great improvement.

I also leaned a bit about some new types of wood and fell in love with padauk and wenge. So it has been a great experience.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*An Update...*

Hello All,

I sold my first tiny box yesterday and decided to put up another one today. I also cleaned the shop and did some more finishing to the boxes I have now. There are lots of pictures tonight.

http://su.pr/2RrGNM

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *An Update...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I sold my first tiny box yesterday and decided to put up another one today. I also cleaned the shop and did some more finishing to the boxes I have now. There are lots of pictures tonight.
> 
> http://su.pr/2RrGNM
> 
> Brian


Thanks again !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *An Update...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I sold my first tiny box yesterday and decided to put up another one today. I also cleaned the shop and did some more finishing to the boxes I have now. There are lots of pictures tonight.
> 
> http://su.pr/2RrGNM
> 
> Brian


You are welcome Canadianchips.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *An Update...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I sold my first tiny box yesterday and decided to put up another one today. I also cleaned the shop and did some more finishing to the boxes I have now. There are lots of pictures tonight.
> 
> http://su.pr/2RrGNM
> 
> Brian


they have been good for you those tiny boxes 
and its very wise of you to let them go one by one as they wish

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Inlays*

Hello All,

I have begun to learn how to do inlays. I am starting with some simple ones. Straight lines before I try curves and shapes.

http://su.pr/4zZ5jo The blog is up…so are the Buckeyes!!!

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Inlays*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to learn how to do inlays. I am starting with some simple ones. Straight lines before I try curves and shapes.
> 
> http://su.pr/4zZ5jo The blog is up…so are the Buckeyes!!!
> 
> Brian


yaah its sure looks good sofare Brian
by the way hasn´t Jeff a groove for a mittregauge you can use
either for a ripsled you can adjust or a mittregauge
just curius 

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Inlays*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to learn how to do inlays. I am starting with some simple ones. Straight lines before I try curves and shapes.
> 
> http://su.pr/4zZ5jo The blog is up…so are the Buckeyes!!!
> 
> Brian


Yes Jeff does have one, but I need to extend the table to make it useful for doing rip cuts at angles. A ripsled might do the trick. It is on my list of stuff to build.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Inlays*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have begun to learn how to do inlays. I am starting with some simple ones. Straight lines before I try curves and shapes.
> 
> http://su.pr/4zZ5jo The blog is up…so are the Buckeyes!!!
> 
> Brian


I cuoldn´t remember what they were used for 
but now I do there is a few of them here made to tablesaws
and they are mostly made to make anglecuts the long way 
on tablelegs and wedges and ofcourse allso on flatboards

I will see if I can remember were I had seen some good vidioclip
with inlay tricks beside those vidio and toturials that is on L J

good luck with the further progress into inlay
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*My First Commission*

Hello All,

Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.

I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.

http://su.pr/27EMrK

Brian


----------



## Gregn

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


It sounds as if it turned out to be a positive for you. Glad to hear you were pleased with the whole affair. I also enjoyed the story of Henry, to cool for school.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


Thanks Gregn. It was fun to make something for someone.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


Hello Brian 
I´m sorry to report this but there seems to be smoething wrong
6 lines under your picture in your blog there is a 1½inch board that just cover the text
and beside from the words "exstreamly average designed by SRS solutions" its blank
I´ll check up on the history in about 15 hours after a sleep ..lol
and see if you have solved it 

best thoughts
Dennis


----------



## rivergirl

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


I have enjoyed your posts and investigated your website/tiny box blog over the past couple of posts. I am howling- your blog is so funny- and I see it as a fantastic marketing tool for your tiny boxes. I mean no disrespect here, but when I read the recent bog posts about the tiny box "Henry" being a form of Zen, and the box containing the soul of the tree etc. etc. and couple that with your naming your tiny boxes, and creating a little bio/personna for them, and having the tiny box be "adopted" as if it were a pet; honestly the whole thing is sort of like a new age- zen style PET ROCK. And we all know how successful the pet rock thing was. Also, I have just finished reading that book, "Eat, Pray, Love" which is about to become a major film (starring Julia Roberts).. and I am thinking that your idea of the tiny box people might be timed just about right… Maybe try and link your blog to the author of the Eat, Pray, Love book? I can't remember her name… LOL… The book was a bit out of my normal taste in genre… but… your blog fits I think? Maybe include a little piece of parchment like a tiny scroll with some meditative chant or some positive thoughts and include it inside each tiny box? Round out the whole Zen, soul in the box theme? Also- I thought the tiny box Zen style would make a cool place to put an engagement ring? That would be a great blog entry for the tiny bride to be box?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


Rivergirl,

Several people have mentioned that I am doing a really good job of marketing my tiny boxes. When I started building them, I only had one goal…make a 45 degree cut accurately. I had planned on keeping all the boxes, but a few people said they would like to buy them. So I put up an Etsy store, and I will add more to it.

Now that I have had one sale, and one commission, I am thinking it might be fun to try to make some 'tool' money, through selling my creations.

Your ideas are great. In fact, I have an idea for a future project, which I think you will find to be VERY zen. I am going to start on it next week.

I don't know how many woodworking things I can sell, and ultimately I won't be too disappointed if I don't sell too many. The important thing for me to remember is that the point is to get better and continue to learn woodworking.

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


Congrats !
The moral of this story is:
You don't have to sell any--and you do.
You are enjoying what you are building, learning along the way, having fun.
Keep going.
Rivergirl has said it very well, no need for me to repeat her words.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


*AND.*Now that you have sold something you can be part of the "Professional Woodworking Group" you are no longer a hobbyist !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


LOL…Canandianchips…I think it is best to start with 'Semi-pro'...with the emphasis on Semi. I am still going to make sure that everything I am working on, teaches me a new skill. Today it is inlays.


----------



## rivergirl

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


I am telling you that blog is hysterical.. and the better your skills get- the more boxes you will sell.. Go with the zen box.. and put that mystical mantra scroll note inside.. like a fortune cookie for your tiny boxes. I LOVE IT!


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *My First Commission*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Yesterday I was asked to build a tiny box. This is fortunate, because I only know how to do one thing…build tiny boxes. The request, from a reader, was to build a box similar to my first successful tiny walnut box. It is interesting to note that the entire conversation took place on Twitter. He asked me if I planned to build any more like the first one, because it was his favorite. I said I would build him one, and the deal was done.
> 
> I have been having trouble sleeping lately. I didn't have much work to do today, and I woke up at 3 am. When I can't sleep, I head to the shop. My first completed tiny box took 3 weeks. I finished the commission in one. It is, without question, my best box yet. More importantly, I got some ideas, while I was working on it, for another box.
> 
> http://su.pr/27EMrK
> 
> Brian


Brian thank´s now I can read it 

congrat´s with your commission 

realy its a great way to promote your boxes if you on telling story´s about every single one 
and sendt a copy with them to the new owner ,i´m sure they will bee even more preciated
thank´s for the break Brian great as usual 

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Gappy the Dado Jig*

Hello All,

I busted out an old friend, the Dado Jig. I created him way back in the first couple of months I was doing woodworking. He didn't have a name until today. I also received a very nice comment from the gentleman who commissioned Henry the tiny walnut box. It was a good day.

http://su.pr/1FkGoX

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Claude's Awakening*

Hello All,

The story of Claude was discovered with the help of Henry the tiny box. Henry is still hanging out here, until the post office opens on Tuesday. Then he will be off to his new home. I hope you enjoy the story.

http://su.pr/2xzTeQ


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Claude's Awakening*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> The story of Claude was discovered with the help of Henry the tiny box. Henry is still hanging out here, until the post office opens on Tuesday. Then he will be off to his new home. I hope you enjoy the story.
> 
> http://su.pr/2xzTeQ


 great little follow up on the first about Henry 
tank´s for the break Bian , enjoy´d both story and the break 

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Claude's Awakening*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> The story of Claude was discovered with the help of Henry the tiny box. Henry is still hanging out here, until the post office opens on Tuesday. Then he will be off to his new home. I hope you enjoy the story.
> 
> http://su.pr/2xzTeQ


I am glad you enjoyed the stories Dennis.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Inlay Boxes*

Hello All,

I took advantage of Labor Day to work on my tiny inlay boxes. I am almost done and they look like tiny boxes. I still have some sanding and finishing to do, but that can be done tomorrow. Tonight, I am going to watch the rest of the Boise St. vs. VA Tech game.

http://su.pr/66ZjBl

Brian


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Inlay Boxes*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took advantage of Labor Day to work on my tiny inlay boxes. I am almost done and they look like tiny boxes. I still have some sanding and finishing to do, but that can be done tomorrow. Tonight, I am going to watch the rest of the Boise St. vs. VA Tech game.
> 
> http://su.pr/66ZjBl
> 
> Brian


I hope you enjoyed the game more than me. Hokies were one 1st down away from a win. I'm pretty sure Boise will go on to the national championship. A precedent has been set when the Hokies lose to a major opponent early in the last 10 yrs (USC, LSU, Alabama). I'll try and take a look at your post tomorrow. Right now I'm kinda depressed for my guys. I think tonight shoulda been our turn after 10 yrs of this.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Inlay Boxes*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took advantage of Labor Day to work on my tiny inlay boxes. I am almost done and they look like tiny boxes. I still have some sanding and finishing to do, but that can be done tomorrow. Tonight, I am going to watch the rest of the Boise St. vs. VA Tech game.
> 
> http://su.pr/66ZjBl
> 
> Brian


I am sorry to hear you are so sad. I am an Ohio State Buckeye fan, and I was just interested in watching two great teams play. I was rewarded with a really great football game, but alas, my team didn't lose. On the upside, they lost the 1st game, they have time to claw their way back to the top.


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Inlay Boxes*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took advantage of Labor Day to work on my tiny inlay boxes. I am almost done and they look like tiny boxes. I still have some sanding and finishing to do, but that can be done tomorrow. Tonight, I am going to watch the rest of the Boise St. vs. VA Tech game.
> 
> http://su.pr/66ZjBl
> 
> Brian


well, your Buckeyes have a big game of their own this coming weekend. I've got several co-workers that are fans so I know I'll be watching with hopes of a good game. OSU looks like they've got a lot of potential (as usual). Take care.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Sorry I am so late...*

Hello,

...but I didn't really talk much about woodworking tonight. I participated in a blogoff and the theme was 'My Slice of Heaven'. So I talked about photography. Lots of photos, but no woodworking.

http://su.pr/2nL2Uu

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Charlie Welcomes a New Friend*

Hello All,

Tonight I wrote about the little oak and morado box and his new friend. I hope you enjoy it.

http://su.pr/1h5HVu <More talking tiny boxes. 

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Charlie Welcomes a New Friend*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I wrote about the little oak and morado box and his new friend. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> http://su.pr/1h5HVu <More talking tiny boxes.
> 
> Brian


These box stories are great. What I like is "your tools and boxes all offer praise and encouragement for each other". 
If we could get the "REAL WORLD " to get along this way--Life would be great wouldn't it ?
(Maybe I just live in a dream world)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Charlie Welcomes a New Friend*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I wrote about the little oak and morado box and his new friend. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> http://su.pr/1h5HVu <More talking tiny boxes.
> 
> Brian


Canadianchips,

I think if everyone would avoid religion and politics, and focus on woodworking and blogging, we could.

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Charlie Welcomes a New Friend*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I wrote about the little oak and morado box and his new friend. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> http://su.pr/1h5HVu <More talking tiny boxes.
> 
> Brian


I agree.
Well said.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Charlie Welcomes a New Friend*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Tonight I wrote about the little oak and morado box and his new friend. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> http://su.pr/1h5HVu <More talking tiny boxes.
> 
> Brian


niice work with Charlie , Brian 
and a great little story you picked out from all of those I believe you see and hear
everyday in your home and shop 
I cuold never do what you do Brian, you most deffently have been a great tribal-historian
in one of our ancient Viking-tribe in an earlyer life 

have a good weekend
Dennis
hope I got the last two lines right


----------



## Ecocandle

*No More Fuzzy Feeling*

Hello All,

I wrote a bit of a different blog piece today. I needed to vent a little, so I did. I learned something when I hit publish. I felt much better. I am someone who rarely needs to vent, and when I do, I usually just ignore the impulse and move on. But having a blog to use for this, is actually quite a wonderful thing. When I was done, I didn't feel I needed to vent anymore. So I guess I will sand a tiny box lid! Fun. And watch more football.

http://su.pr/ASH7AW

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *No More Fuzzy Feeling*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I wrote a bit of a different blog piece today. I needed to vent a little, so I did. I learned something when I hit publish. I felt much better. I am someone who rarely needs to vent, and when I do, I usually just ignore the impulse and move on. But having a blog to use for this, is actually quite a wonderful thing. When I was done, I didn't feel I needed to vent anymore. So I guess I will sand a tiny box lid! Fun. And watch more football.
> 
> http://su.pr/ASH7AW
> 
> Brian


Unfortunatly some compaies still think they can operate that way.they use the OPM (other people money)as well as OPT. (other people time).
When you look closely at the CEO's and Board of Directiors (none of them contribute their money or their time for FREE, they expect every one else to.(especially small shareholders that work for them)
It cost me a lot of money and time to learn this lesson !


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *No More Fuzzy Feeling*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I wrote a bit of a different blog piece today. I needed to vent a little, so I did. I learned something when I hit publish. I felt much better. I am someone who rarely needs to vent, and when I do, I usually just ignore the impulse and move on. But having a blog to use for this, is actually quite a wonderful thing. When I was done, I didn't feel I needed to vent anymore. So I guess I will sand a tiny box lid! Fun. And watch more football.
> 
> http://su.pr/ASH7AW
> 
> Brian


I guess I am lucky, as it didn't cost me a lot of time or money. In fact, I ended up with a pretty good blog post.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *No More Fuzzy Feeling*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I wrote a bit of a different blog piece today. I needed to vent a little, so I did. I learned something when I hit publish. I felt much better. I am someone who rarely needs to vent, and when I do, I usually just ignore the impulse and move on. But having a blog to use for this, is actually quite a wonderful thing. When I was done, I didn't feel I needed to vent anymore. So I guess I will sand a tiny box lid! Fun. And watch more football.
> 
> http://su.pr/ASH7AW
> 
> Brian


 great rant Brian it was an elegant way of let the steamwhisle blow a melodi 
do I like to read hmmmm other has to desided that but I forsure read alot here on L J…lol
and I do love every centimeter of my bookcollection  reading one of those trades-books
and learn new things from them , and take them down from the shelfs after years and
see …..how was it now…... I shuold do…..or just to be inspired from them 
nothing beats the written word, its a fantastic tressure to give to the next generations
the love to the written word so many different ways it can reach people
just look at me I´m just one of those that don´t read poetry and things like that
but my learningbooks and a krimi/action/drama with a tight history that just cant lieve you 
before its readen from start to end thats me

best thoughts
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*My Method*

Hello All,

I have been wanting to compile the steps I go through, in creating my tiny boxes. Tonight I finally got it done.

http://bit.ly/aGMa0G

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *My Method*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have been wanting to compile the steps I go through, in creating my tiny boxes. Tonight I finally got it done.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aGMa0G
> 
> Brian


Great SPM. (standard procedure manual)
Step 5, I literally went to kitchen and got a doughnut (thought it would be better if I was in character while reading )
STEP 14: Does it matter what kind of pizza ? I am not a pizza eater,(something to do with one fateful weekend when I was 17, party in the BIG CITY, don't drink whiskey anymore either !!). I won't let step 14 hinder me from building a box one day.
I never think of taking pictures whilwe building my things. I get so wrapped up in creating, cutting, shaping etc. Last thing I think of is picture. Then Crap, half the time by batteries are dead. 
I do appreciate when people do take pics and can write about how the project went.
Thanks.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A bit of planning*

Hello All,

Today, since I was at my parents, I couldn't do any woodworking. But I could plan my next project. I have some graph paper and proper drawing tools, so I went to it. I am very excited about my next project. I included a scanned picture of my drawing in tonight's blog.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/the-plan-is-a-winner/

Brian

Ohio State 36 - Miami 24. Go Buckeyes!


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit of planning*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today, since I was at my parents, I couldn't do any woodworking. But I could plan my next project. I have some graph paper and proper drawing tools, so I went to it. I am very excited about my next project. I included a scanned picture of my drawing in tonight's blog.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/the-plan-is-a-winner/
> 
> Brian
> 
> Ohio State 36 - Miami 24. Go Buckeyes!


now lets see some chips fly from the planes Brian 
this just the job for them and you japanese saws 
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit of planning*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today, since I was at my parents, I couldn't do any woodworking. But I could plan my next project. I have some graph paper and proper drawing tools, so I went to it. I am very excited about my next project. I included a scanned picture of my drawing in tonight's blog.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/the-plan-is-a-winner/
> 
> Brian
> 
> Ohio State 36 - Miami 24. Go Buckeyes!


Dennisgrosen,

Right now I am only comfortable using the hand planes on bigger surfaces. The small pieces just seem to get chewed up. They were great on the box with the inlays. Every month I experiment a little bit more and keep getting better. It is definitely worth the effort.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Ch 25*

Hello All,

I figured it was about time for another installment in the Henry Wood Detective Agency. I hope those who are following it, enjoy.

http://su.pr/5udWJ3

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 25*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I figured it was about time for another installment in the Henry Wood Detective Agency. I hope those who are following it, enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/5udWJ3
> 
> Brian


Hmm surpricing turns isn´t always enjoyeble Brian and this wasn´t expected so late in the story
let´s hope it doesn´t turn out to be a totely disaster before the end

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 25*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I figured it was about time for another installment in the Henry Wood Detective Agency. I hope those who are following it, enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/5udWJ3
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

One never knows where the story will lead. I was sorry to see Winston go too.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 25*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I figured it was about time for another installment in the Henry Wood Detective Agency. I hope those who are following it, enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/5udWJ3
> 
> Brian


well what ells can be surspected fromm a good storyteller 
they always has a surprice in the sleeve ,good or bad thats what 
makes them

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Inner Pieces*

Hello LJ's,

I went to work on the Ikebana I designed on Saturday. It is fun, but is going to take longer than I expected.

http://su.pr/2yvju8

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Inner Pieces*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I went to work on the Ikebana I designed on Saturday. It is fun, but is going to take longer than I expected.
> 
> http://su.pr/2yvju8
> 
> Brian


well I see two drills in the future for you , and none of them is with cable nor batteries
and they work everytime with out you have to wait unnessery 
thats an eggbeaterdrill and a brace the eggbeater for all the small holes 
and a brace for the bigger ones , and I garantie you that the brace will have more
force than any other powered handdrill, and the best part with both of them no noise

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Inner Pieces*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I went to work on the Ikebana I designed on Saturday. It is fun, but is going to take longer than I expected.
> 
> http://su.pr/2yvju8
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

I have a bunch of antique hand drills. Maybe I should give them a try? I might do that now.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Inner Pieces*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> I went to work on the Ikebana I designed on Saturday. It is fun, but is going to take longer than I expected.
> 
> http://su.pr/2yvju8
> 
> Brian


then I hope you have named them before you introduce them to the other tools …lol

in the last week I have fallen over two braces and an eggbeater myself and got them
so now the sit here infront of me waiting to be very light cleaned and oiled before they
are introdused to the shop
how lucky can we get one of the brace in prestine conditions as it was just taken out of the box
not a scratch or rust the two others only need a little maintaining

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Listening to James*

Hello All,

The blog is up. I had a bit of a setback today, but I learned a valuable lesson. http://su.pr/9hSRmn

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Listening to James*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> The blog is up. I had a bit of a setback today, but I learned a valuable lesson. http://su.pr/9hSRmn
> 
> Brian


hello Brian
I´m sorry that you cracked the piece
but may I give you a little advise (if you will take it from one who had cut toooo many corners)
when you drill thrugh a piece of wood with bracebits ,holesaws and the small plugbits
there is a centerpoint that comes trugh first , just let that center be shown with a fraktion
of a millimeter and then turn the wood around and drill from the other side thrugh the hole 
the center had made
that will prevent both small and big nasty tearouts and leave a clear cut on both sides

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Listening to James*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> The blog is up. I had a bit of a setback today, but I learned a valuable lesson. http://su.pr/9hSRmn
> 
> Brian


Dennis,

That is a GREAT idea! Thanks.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Listening to James*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> The blog is up. I had a bit of a setback today, but I learned a valuable lesson. http://su.pr/9hSRmn
> 
> Brian


you are welcome Brian
I can see that I forgot to mention
that nomatter from witch side you drill
then put less strength on the drill near the end of the cut
that to avoid cracks in the hole

best thoughts
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Blog is Up*

Hello All,

I tried a few things, which didn't really work today. Eh…it happens…tomorrow is another day.

http://su.pr/1ITIYx

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Ugh...wrote blog...lost it...ugh.*

Hello All,

Often I look at the clock and realize that it is 9:00 and I need to write my blog. This was the case tonight. I already had the photos, so I wrote my blog piece, added the photos and hit save on wordpress. It then disappeared!

This is the angry and bitter 2nd attempt.

http://su.pr/1CJpJD

Brian


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *Ugh...wrote blog...lost it...ugh.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Often I look at the clock and realize that it is 9:00 and I need to write my blog. This was the case tonight. I already had the photos, so I wrote my blog piece, added the photos and hit save on wordpress. It then disappeared!
> 
> This is the angry and bitter 2nd attempt.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CJpJD
> 
> Brian


You need to work on "angry and bitter" - I only picked up "frustrated and tired". Nice work on the 600 words comment!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Ugh...wrote blog...lost it...ugh.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Often I look at the clock and realize that it is 9:00 and I need to write my blog. This was the case tonight. I already had the photos, so I wrote my blog piece, added the photos and hit save on wordpress. It then disappeared!
> 
> This is the angry and bitter 2nd attempt.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CJpJD
> 
> Brian


Thanks Sras…I will do angry and bitter better next time. 

Several people have mentioned having trouble with the link above. Give this one a try.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/jig-madness/


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Ugh...wrote blog...lost it...ugh.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Often I look at the clock and realize that it is 9:00 and I need to write my blog. This was the case tonight. I already had the photos, so I wrote my blog piece, added the photos and hit save on wordpress. It then disappeared!
> 
> This is the angry and bitter 2nd attempt.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CJpJD
> 
> Brian


I just got a virus warning when I tried to connect to the link at the top of the page.

The warning was: Network traffic from www3.security-power31.co.cc matches the signature of a known attack. It says "the attach was resulted from (long path) IEXPLORE.EXE."

Bill


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Ugh...wrote blog...lost it...ugh.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Often I look at the clock and realize that it is 9:00 and I need to write my blog. This was the case tonight. I already had the photos, so I wrote my blog piece, added the photos and hit save on wordpress. It then disappeared!
> 
> This is the angry and bitter 2nd attempt.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CJpJD
> 
> Brian


By the way, this is your Blog#: 255. As the son of a mathematician you must have noticed that 
255 = 11111111 base 2! Maybe you can use that in your next blog. It'll be enough to make one rollover… : )

Bill


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Ugh...wrote blog...lost it...ugh.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Often I look at the clock and realize that it is 9:00 and I need to write my blog. This was the case tonight. I already had the photos, so I wrote my blog piece, added the photos and hit save on wordpress. It then disappeared!
> 
> This is the angry and bitter 2nd attempt.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CJpJD
> 
> Brian


BTW, I got exactly the same error/warning from your second link as I did from the first one.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Ugh...wrote blog...lost it...ugh.*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Often I look at the clock and realize that it is 9:00 and I need to write my blog. This was the case tonight. I already had the photos, so I wrote my blog piece, added the photos and hit save on wordpress. It then disappeared!
> 
> This is the angry and bitter 2nd attempt.
> 
> http://su.pr/1CJpJD
> 
> Brian


Yes, my blog has been attacked. I am in the process or taking it down and reinstalling WordPress and then uploading it again. I have been at it all day. Ugh.


----------



## Ecocandle

*I have been Attacked!*










Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.

Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.

In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.

My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?

Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.

So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!

When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)

If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I have been Attacked!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.
> 
> Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.
> 
> In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.
> 
> My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?
> 
> Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.
> 
> So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!
> 
> When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)
> 
> If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


sorry for you that you have been thrugh this
thats deffently one of those things we all can
bee with out
and with that knowledge I have about computers
I proppebly wood have shot this one and bougt a new instead
but thats maybee what they want us to do

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I have been Attacked!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.
> 
> Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.
> 
> In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.
> 
> My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?
> 
> Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.
> 
> So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!
> 
> When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)
> 
> If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


Dennis,

That wouldn't have worked, as the hack wasn't on my computer. They corrupted the Wordpress program on the server where I host my blog. It has been a mess, but I am on the road to recovery.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I have been Attacked!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.
> 
> Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.
> 
> In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.
> 
> My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?
> 
> Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.
> 
> So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!
> 
> When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)
> 
> If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


yes I realises it from beginning I just say that with my lack of knowledge
what I proppebly wuold have done , even thow knowing it wuoldn´t have help…lol

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I have been Attacked!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.
> 
> Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.
> 
> In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.
> 
> My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?
> 
> Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.
> 
> So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!
> 
> When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)
> 
> If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


LOL…well I hope you don't ever have something like this happen.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I have been Attacked!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.
> 
> Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.
> 
> In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.
> 
> My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?
> 
> Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.
> 
> So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!
> 
> When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)
> 
> If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


neither do I , and if its on the pc I got any virus I know what to do
and I have backed up what needs to be
but it still take an awfull lot of time to have the pc back as we want

hope you are back on the horse again very fast
and under the circumstances try to have a great sunday 

Dennis


----------



## Abbott

Ecocandle said:


> *I have been Attacked!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.
> 
> Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.
> 
> In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.
> 
> My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?
> 
> Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.
> 
> So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!
> 
> When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)
> 
> If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


Wow, what a mess. I am glad to hear you have found the fix.


----------



## scrollgirl

Ecocandle said:


> *I have been Attacked!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.
> 
> Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.
> 
> In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.
> 
> My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?
> 
> Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.
> 
> So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!
> 
> When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)
> 
> If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


Glad to have you beck Brian! I knew that something was up for sure when I didn't have a notice waiting for me in the morning that your blog was up. What a huge amount of work to fix it too. I am sorry it happened to you. I'm happy to see you kept your streak though! You show um!

Sheila


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *I have been Attacked!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.
> 
> Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.
> 
> In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.
> 
> My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?
> 
> Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.
> 
> So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!
> 
> When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)
> 
> If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


Welcome back.
I have more colorful words for those people that hack and cause viruses. Not allowed to print the words !


----------



## sras

Ecocandle said:


> *I have been Attacked!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday I started to get messages that my sight was considered a threat to all of humanity. There were scary red letters and I feared the worst.
> 
> Apparently somebody, likely a middle aged, socially awkward, virgin, had found my blog and after eating some hot pockets, his chain smoking, raging alcoholic mother had brought down to him in the basement ('Apartment'),and had decided to hack into my blog.
> 
> In doing so he has stuck fear into the hearts of my readers. I apologize for the scare and I assure you that I am working diligently to fix the problem. In fact, I have done nothing else since last night. I have a bit of a headache.
> 
> My friends on twitter were the ones who helped me figure out what was going on. For at least two hours I searched my computer looking for an answer, as I thought the problem was local. The twitter folks explained that I would need to take down my my blog, back up the data base, delete word press, install word press, and then FTP the data back into the new database. Sounds easy eh?
> 
> Actually it didn't sound easy to me at all. There were instructions which the fine folks at Godaddy.com provided and they helped a little. The real help came from the customer service people. They have been great and already spent several hours with me on the phone. If it weren't for them, I would like have taken my own life, so that I might come back as a ghost and haunt the hacker who ruined my life.
> 
> So if you tried the blog last night, there was a post, without pictures, as I couldn't upload them. This is the 'Official' post for tonight! I will not let some slovenly loser with questionable personal hygiene ruin my streak of consecutive days of blogging! Ha! Double Ha, Mr. Hacker!
> 
> When I get the blog back up, I will fix yesterday's post and add this rant to the mix. Then I will dance…and possibly eat a hot pocket. (I am not sure why I had to drag Hot Pockets into this mess. The fine people at Hot Pockets didn't do anything wrong, and in fact, make a lovely food item.)
> 
> If you are a blogger and use WordPress, then you will know that this picture, is NOT how it is supposed to look when an admin logs in. If you ever run into this problem, know this, it can be fixed, it just takes a bit of effort. (Note: I haven't actually completed fixing it yet, so perhaps I am jumping the gun, but I feel confident that the GoDaddy people will be able to help me get the rest of it done.)


Sorry to hear you had to go through this. Best wishes for a speedy blog recovery!


----------



## Ecocandle

*I fixed my site*

Hello All,

It took all of yesterday and today, but my site has been taken down and put back up. So tonight's blog is more of me cursing the hacker. I feel better now.

The Curse - Extremely Average http://su.pr/1DUzOI

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *I fixed my site*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It took all of yesterday and today, but my site has been taken down and put back up. So tonight's blog is more of me cursing the hacker. I feel better now.
> 
> The Curse - Extremely Average http://su.pr/1DUzOI
> 
> Brian


Those people PISS me off as well. I am under the illusion that the people who MAKE the anti-virus software FOR SALE are also the ones that randomly create these mess'. Can't proove it !


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I fixed my site*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It took all of yesterday and today, but my site has been taken down and put back up. So tonight's blog is more of me cursing the hacker. I feel better now.
> 
> The Curse - Extremely Average http://su.pr/1DUzOI
> 
> Brian


good you are on the top again Brian

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I fixed my site*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It took all of yesterday and today, but my site has been taken down and put back up. So tonight's blog is more of me cursing the hacker. I feel better now.
> 
> The Curse - Extremely Average http://su.pr/1DUzOI
> 
> Brian


Canadianchips,

They piss me off too. I think you are right, they anti-virus people, make the viruses. I feel the same fear when I go to get my car fixed, as I always worry that the mechanic is breaking something else, to get me to come back.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Calm and Focus*

Hello All,

Today the blog is back to normal (for almost everyone). There was an issue for one of my readers, who has a router which flagged my site last week during the hacking debacle. She has had trouble getting back to my site ans her router continues to block it. If any of you fine LJ folks are having troubles, it may be something similar.

As for writing the blog, it was nice to not be railing against the evil hacker. I am moving on an continuing with my ikebana building. It is fun.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Calm and Focus*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today the blog is back to normal (for almost everyone). There was an issue for one of my readers, who has a router which flagged my site last week during the hacking debacle. She has had trouble getting back to my site ans her router continues to block it. If any of you fine LJ folks are having troubles, it may be something similar.
> 
> As for writing the blog, it was nice to not be railing against the evil hacker. I am moving on an continuing with my ikebana building. It is fun.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


I have removed the link to my blog. It has been hacked again.


----------



## scrollgirl

Ecocandle said:


> *Calm and Focus*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today the blog is back to normal (for almost everyone). There was an issue for one of my readers, who has a router which flagged my site last week during the hacking debacle. She has had trouble getting back to my site ans her router continues to block it. If any of you fine LJ folks are having troubles, it may be something similar.
> 
> As for writing the blog, it was nice to not be railing against the evil hacker. I am moving on an continuing with my ikebana building. It is fun.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


What a horrible thing to happen! I am so sorry to hear that. What the heck is wrong with people anyway? I am sure we will all stay tuned here and wait to see what you will do. You hang in there and we will be watching.

Take care, Sheila


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Calm and Focus*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today the blog is back to normal (for almost everyone). There was an issue for one of my readers, who has a router which flagged my site last week during the hacking debacle. She has had trouble getting back to my site ans her router continues to block it. If any of you fine LJ folks are having troubles, it may be something similar.
> 
> As for writing the blog, it was nice to not be railing against the evil hacker. I am moving on an continuing with my ikebana building. It is fun.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Ok everyone…I believe I have gotten it fixed again. I have added (for 7.00 a month) some sort of extra security with GoDaddy.com. Hopefully that will keep the hackers at bay.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Calm and Focus*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today the blog is back to normal (for almost everyone). There was an issue for one of my readers, who has a router which flagged my site last week during the hacking debacle. She has had trouble getting back to my site ans her router continues to block it. If any of you fine LJ folks are having troubles, it may be something similar.
> 
> As for writing the blog, it was nice to not be railing against the evil hacker. I am moving on an continuing with my ikebana building. It is fun.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


if its okay now then we only need the link 

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Calm and Focus*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today the blog is back to normal (for almost everyone). There was an issue for one of my readers, who has a router which flagged my site last week during the hacking debacle. She has had trouble getting back to my site ans her router continues to block it. If any of you fine LJ folks are having troubles, it may be something similar.
> 
> As for writing the blog, it was nice to not be railing against the evil hacker. I am moving on an continuing with my ikebana building. It is fun.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/

There you go. Sorry about that.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Calm and Focus*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today the blog is back to normal (for almost everyone). There was an issue for one of my readers, who has a router which flagged my site last week during the hacking debacle. She has had trouble getting back to my site ans her router continues to block it. If any of you fine LJ folks are having troubles, it may be something similar.
> 
> As for writing the blog, it was nice to not be railing against the evil hacker. I am moving on an continuing with my ikebana building. It is fun.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


just thought you was hit again thats all
I´m realy sorry that you have to strugle with this so much

Dennis


----------



## A10GAC

Ecocandle said:


> *Calm and Focus*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today the blog is back to normal (for almost everyone). There was an issue for one of my readers, who has a router which flagged my site last week during the hacking debacle. She has had trouble getting back to my site ans her router continues to block it. If any of you fine LJ folks are having troubles, it may be something similar.
> 
> As for writing the blog, it was nice to not be railing against the evil hacker. I am moving on an continuing with my ikebana building. It is fun.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


I was sorry to hear that your site had been hacked the first time; now, I'm thinking that there should be a special place in Dante's Inferno just for hackers. I think it's just wrong that someone feels the need to disrupt/destroy the creative works of another as a pathetic attempt to feel superior to others.

I sincerely hope that the GoDaddy security upgrade solves the issue once and for all.

Regards,
~A10GAC


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Calm and Focus*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today the blog is back to normal (for almost everyone). There was an issue for one of my readers, who has a router which flagged my site last week during the hacking debacle. She has had trouble getting back to my site ans her router continues to block it. If any of you fine LJ folks are having troubles, it may be something similar.
> 
> As for writing the blog, it was nice to not be railing against the evil hacker. I am moving on an continuing with my ikebana building. It is fun.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/calm-and-focus/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Thanks A10GAC…I really appreciate it. I think I am safe for now.  And I agree on the Dante's Inferno part.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Giving Myself Credit*

Hello All,

It was a good day in the shop. I solved an admittedly simple problem, but it still felt good.

http://su.pr/2izkqd

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Giving Myself Credit*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It was a good day in the shop. I solved an admittedly simple problem, but it still felt good.
> 
> http://su.pr/2izkqd
> 
> Brian


Don't be reading too much, some of us are still learning as we build !.


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Elders*

Hello All,

I did some woodworking, a bit of creative writing, and ended up with a blog post which is a B-.

http://su.pr/2wPGZs

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The Elders*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I did some woodworking, a bit of creative writing, and ended up with a blog post which is a B-.
> 
> http://su.pr/2wPGZs
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


tarts to look good Brian 
and the story wasn´t bad either 
are you sure you wasn´t the storyteller centuries ago

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*The Fool*

Hello LJ's,

I had fun with tonight's blog. I have done some finishing of the ikebana and started on some table legs, which presumably will be used on a table.

http://su.pr/1dXNx5

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Sorry I forgot...*

Hello All,

I just realized that I forgot to post last night's blog post. I am at my parents and got distracted by fun. So if you want to catch up, there are two posts at http://ExtremelyAverage.com

For those who follow the Henry Wood Detective Agency, tonight's post is another addition. It is easy to write Henry posts, when I am not at home and can't do woodworking. 

Brian


----------



## Abbott

Ecocandle said:


> *Sorry I forgot...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just realized that I forgot to post last night's blog post. I am at my parents and got distracted by fun. So if you want to catch up, there are two posts at http://ExtremelyAverage.com
> 
> For those who follow the Henry Wood Detective Agency, tonight's post is another addition. It is easy to write Henry posts, when I am not at home and can't do woodworking.
> 
> Brian


~waves~ at Brain.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Sorry I forgot...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just realized that I forgot to post last night's blog post. I am at my parents and got distracted by fun. So if you want to catch up, there are two posts at http://ExtremelyAverage.com
> 
> For those who follow the Henry Wood Detective Agency, tonight's post is another addition. It is easy to write Henry posts, when I am not at home and can't do woodworking.
> 
> Brian


thank´s for the 2×5 minuts with H. Wood and the Fool
just the right way to my morning coffee 
and I look forward to see the next installment on the table

have a funny sunday Brian

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Detective Agency ch 27*

Hello All,

We are nearing the end of the Henry Wood saga. I added ch 27 tonight. http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/henry-wood-detective-agency-ch-27/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Detective Agency ch 27*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> We are nearing the end of the Henry Wood saga. I added ch 27 tonight. http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/henry-wood-detective-agency-ch-27/
> 
> Brian


this is going to be good 
you realy know the god old classic stile
to let people wait in excitment for next episode

great coffeebreak

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Computer broke...*

Hello All,

I am back at my parents, as my computer broke. I couldn't do woodworking, so I did some creative writing. It is a strange blog piece.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/the-80-year-war/

Brian


----------



## Trimble

Ecocandle said:


> *Computer broke...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I am back at my parents, as my computer broke. I couldn't do woodworking, so I did some creative writing. It is a strange blog piece.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/the-80-year-war/
> 
> Brian


Sorry to hear about your computer… What happened to it?

I'm still reading through your backlog, but I'm up to page 4 after having read every single entry going all the way back to page 27 or so. I should be caught up in the next few days!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Computer broke...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I am back at my parents, as my computer broke. I couldn't do woodworking, so I did some creative writing. It is a strange blog piece.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/09/the-80-year-war/
> 
> Brian


I am not sure, but it is likely a hardware issue. I had it happen once before and it was one of the cables to the hard drive was bad. I have 6 hard drives which make up 2TB of space, so this sort of thing is possible from time to time. It isn't the end of the world, it just takes a long time for them to figure out where the problem lies.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Chapter 29*

Hello All,

I didn't put up last night's post, because it wasn't about woodworking, or Henry Wood, or anything I thought you might like. Tonight's blog though, is chapter 29 of the Henry Wood Saga. I hope those who are following enjoy it.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/henry-wood-two-hours-to-go-ch-28/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Chapter 29*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't put up last night's post, because it wasn't about woodworking, or Henry Wood, or anything I thought you might like. Tonight's blog though, is chapter 29 of the Henry Wood Saga. I hope those who are following enjoy it.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/henry-wood-two-hours-to-go-ch-28/
> 
> Brian


thank´s just the right thing to help ceeping me awake the next cupple hours of this lonely shift

have a great wekend Brian

Dennis


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Chapter 29*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't put up last night's post, because it wasn't about woodworking, or Henry Wood, or anything I thought you might like. Tonight's blog though, is chapter 29 of the Henry Wood Saga. I hope those who are following enjoy it.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/henry-wood-two-hours-to-go-ch-28/
> 
> Brian


Glad your back. Been thinking of sending out someone to find you. Been missing the posts.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Chapter 29*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't put up last night's post, because it wasn't about woodworking, or Henry Wood, or anything I thought you might like. Tonight's blog though, is chapter 29 of the Henry Wood Saga. I hope those who are following enjoy it.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/henry-wood-two-hours-to-go-ch-28/
> 
> Brian


Sorry about missing a couple of posts….It has been hard since my computer went down. I had to find a new mother board, which I have done, and get someone who can figure my custom made system out, to replace it. But it looks like I should have my computer back up and running in a couple of weeks. Until then, I will make due as best I can.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Bit Sickly*

Hello All,

I am still under the weather, as is my computer. So I didn't write too much that was interesting tonight. But if you are curious of the specifics of my troubling week, and I can't imagine you would be, you may check out my blog.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/a-bit-sickly/

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *A Bit Sickly*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I am still under the weather, as is my computer. So I didn't write too much that was interesting tonight. But if you are curious of the specifics of my troubling week, and I can't imagine you would be, you may check out my blog.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/a-bit-sickly/
> 
> Brian


With todays computor technology is is surprising that they still make the same motherboard. You must have a geek that is interested in helping. Most of the time you buy your computor and NEXT day it is obsolete !Best of luck getting it running.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Chapter 30 pt. 1*

Hello All,

Though I may not be able to do much woodworking, I am able to finally bring the Henry Wood Mystery to a close…almost. We are in the final scene, and I think it turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/henry-wood-the-exchange-ch-30-part-1/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Chapter 30 pt. 1*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Though I may not be able to do much woodworking, I am able to finally bring the Henry Wood Mystery to a close…almost. We are in the final scene, and I think it turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/henry-wood-the-exchange-ch-30-part-1/
> 
> Brian


thank´s for the 10 min. they were great and just needed in a dry spot.
a turn not seen coming what next the big F…LOL

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Chapter 30 pt. 2*

Hello,

I am really making progress on finishing up the Henry Wood saga.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/henry-wood-detective-agency-chapter-30-pt-2/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Chapter 30 pt. 2*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I am really making progress on finishing up the Henry Wood saga.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/henry-wood-detective-agency-chapter-30-pt-2/
> 
> Brian


 enjoyed the chapter Brian

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Final Chapter*

Hello All,

If you have been following Henry Wood, I just posted the final chapter. I hope you all have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

http://bit.ly/brYZm9

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Final Chapter*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> If you have been following Henry Wood, I just posted the final chapter. I hope you all have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
> 
> http://bit.ly/brYZm9
> 
> Brian


thank´s for a good classic ending 
it has been one of the pleassures reading your blogs
that you also have some to follow along with now what ? ....LOL

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Rural Iowa Adventure*

Hello,

My computer is still getting fixed. I am still at my parents, so no woodworking. But I am able to blog. Tonight there are a couple of photos, by guest photographer extraordinaire, Sandy Meeks. (I often call her mom.)

Best Blog Post with a Goat, I have ever written.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/rural-iowa-adventure/

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Still Blogging*

Hello All,

The computer seems to be almost fixed….I hope. I am still a few days away from going home and having access to my shop, so my blog continues to be non-woodworking drivel. But some of you like my ramblings, so I thought I would let you know anyway. 

I did ask a few questions, which I would love some help with.

http://bit.ly/c7Xx3j

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Still Blogging*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> The computer seems to be almost fixed….I hope. I am still a few days away from going home and having access to my shop, so my blog continues to be non-woodworking drivel. But some of you like my ramblings, so I thought I would let you know anyway.
> 
> I did ask a few questions, which I would love some help with.
> 
> http://bit.ly/c7Xx3j
> 
> Brian


1)no 2)? 3)cheeta 4)no
The only riussian I speak : Vodka !


----------



## Ecocandle

*Is tonight's blog about woodworking?*

Hello LJ's,

Sadly it isn't. I am still without computer, and as such, am not at home with my tools. So I have written the best blog about a relative's guinea pig, that I have ever written.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/ferrari/

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Is tonight's blog about woodworking?*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Sadly it isn't. I am still without computer, and as such, am not at home with my tools. So I have written the best blog about a relative's guinea pig, that I have ever written.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/ferrari/
> 
> Brian


Does the guinea pig do woodworking ? LOL


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Is tonight's blog about woodworking?*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Sadly it isn't. I am still without computer, and as such, am not at home with my tools. So I have written the best blog about a relative's guinea pig, that I have ever written.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/ferrari/
> 
> Brian


The guinea pig is mostly interested in gardening. He loves his leafy greens.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Drubbing*

Hello All,

Still waiting on my computer. Today my father and I went to the ISU vs. Utah game. My post tonight is entitled 'A Drubbing'. I took a bunch of pictures with my iphone and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I know a lot of you are only interested in my woodworking posts, but I will say, there are CHEERLEADERS in one photo. Not that that would sway you. 

http://bit.ly/aZLUCw

Brian


----------



## smitty22

Ecocandle said:


> *A Drubbing*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Still waiting on my computer. Today my father and I went to the ISU vs. Utah game. My post tonight is entitled 'A Drubbing'. I took a bunch of pictures with my iphone and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I know a lot of you are only interested in my woodworking posts, but I will say, there are CHEERLEADERS in one photo. Not that that would sway you.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aZLUCw
> 
> Brian


Hah! The tree was better than the cheerleaders!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Drubbing*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Still waiting on my computer. Today my father and I went to the ISU vs. Utah game. My post tonight is entitled 'A Drubbing'. I took a bunch of pictures with my iphone and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I know a lot of you are only interested in my woodworking posts, but I will say, there are CHEERLEADERS in one photo. Not that that would sway you.
> 
> http://bit.ly/aZLUCw
> 
> Brian


Smitty22,

I admit, I have a fondness for the tree over the cheerleaders too. I love nature.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Let the Madness End*

Hey,

I don't think I have posted my blog here for the last couple of days. Sorry about that. Today's blog is up, and oddly yesterday's blog was very well received. Perhaps I misjudged it.

This is today's blog. http://su.pr/2jmb8k

If you wish to see either of the last two, just scroll down. You will find them. Hopefully I will be doing some woodworking tomorrow.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Back in the Shop*

Hello All,

The feeling of the hand plane in my mits was a joy. My results were sub par, but I felt some joy. It is good to be home.

http://su.pr/2NHVZW

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Back in the Shop*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> The feeling of the hand plane in my mits was a joy. My results were sub par, but I felt some joy. It is good to be home.
> 
> http://su.pr/2NHVZW
> 
> Brian


welcome back in the shop Brian
and good to hear you are nearly up and go
on the computer as well

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Did some finishing*

Hello All,

I divided my free time today, between adding a coat of shellac and teaching myself more about html. The html knowledge should be helpful with Kindle.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/ikebana-in-october/

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Kindle Stuff*

Hey Everyone,

I made a great find last night. Ok, actually it was at about 3AM on Sunday morning, but the point is that, as some of you know, I have been working on putting Henry Wood into Kindle form. I wrote tonight's blog about the PC and Apple versions of the Kindle reader.

There are lots and lots of talented people here on Lumber Jocks. I am sure that some of you have thought about compiling your blog posts into a book, and the more I learn about it, the more excited I get. The one problem I see is that there are lots of people who don't have a Kindle. So now it is possible for anyone with a computer to get a reader and download books.

I know that many people here like reading, or you wouldn't be here, because there are lots of words. So if you want to play with the Kindle on your computer, feel free to check out my blog today. Or if you prefer, I will just give you the links to the site, so you can download your own Kindle reader.

1) My blog: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/word-of-the-day/
2) Kindle for PC: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311
3) Kindle for Apple: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&ref_=amb_link_272409822_2&docId=1000464931

Ok, I am off to see if there are any good books on woodworking. If not, well I am sure we can write some. 

Brian


----------



## billb

Ecocandle said:


> *Kindle Stuff*
> 
> Hey Everyone,
> 
> I made a great find last night. Ok, actually it was at about 3AM on Sunday morning, but the point is that, as some of you know, I have been working on putting Henry Wood into Kindle form. I wrote tonight's blog about the PC and Apple versions of the Kindle reader.
> 
> There are lots and lots of talented people here on Lumber Jocks. I am sure that some of you have thought about compiling your blog posts into a book, and the more I learn about it, the more excited I get. The one problem I see is that there are lots of people who don't have a Kindle. So now it is possible for anyone with a computer to get a reader and download books.
> 
> I know that many people here like reading, or you wouldn't be here, because there are lots of words. So if you want to play with the Kindle on your computer, feel free to check out my blog today. Or if you prefer, I will just give you the links to the site, so you can download your own Kindle reader.
> 
> 1) My blog: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/word-of-the-day/
> 2) Kindle for PC: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311
> 3) Kindle for Apple: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&ref_=amb_link_272409822_2&docId=1000464931
> 
> Ok, I am off to see if there are any good books on woodworking. If not, well I am sure we can write some.
> 
> Brian


Brian,

I am an avid Kindle user but am also a book publisher so I am always learning new things about the publishing business. I had been considering publishing to Kindle format when I ran into Smashwords. I know, the name may scare you off but it is an excellent publishing tool that you might consider for your purposes. It allows you to publish a book in one format and then they convert it to multiple formats, including Kindle, making your book available to most users even as a pdf for their computer. You might want to check it out.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Kindle Stuff*
> 
> Hey Everyone,
> 
> I made a great find last night. Ok, actually it was at about 3AM on Sunday morning, but the point is that, as some of you know, I have been working on putting Henry Wood into Kindle form. I wrote tonight's blog about the PC and Apple versions of the Kindle reader.
> 
> There are lots and lots of talented people here on Lumber Jocks. I am sure that some of you have thought about compiling your blog posts into a book, and the more I learn about it, the more excited I get. The one problem I see is that there are lots of people who don't have a Kindle. So now it is possible for anyone with a computer to get a reader and download books.
> 
> I know that many people here like reading, or you wouldn't be here, because there are lots of words. So if you want to play with the Kindle on your computer, feel free to check out my blog today. Or if you prefer, I will just give you the links to the site, so you can download your own Kindle reader.
> 
> 1) My blog: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/word-of-the-day/
> 2) Kindle for PC: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311
> 3) Kindle for Apple: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&ref_=amb_link_272409822_2&docId=1000464931
> 
> Ok, I am off to see if there are any good books on woodworking. If not, well I am sure we can write some.
> 
> Brian


Bill,

I have heard of Smashwords, but have not checked it. I am going to go give it a read. I am learning a bunch from my Kindle publishing exercise. It is truly amazing. As a publisher, you must be excited about being able to publish without any raw marerial costs! I would love to talk with you more about publishing on Kindle, or any other digital medium, if you are interested.

We live in an exciting age, and I am excited to be part of the fun.

Brian


----------



## KayBee

Ecocandle said:


> *Kindle Stuff*
> 
> Hey Everyone,
> 
> I made a great find last night. Ok, actually it was at about 3AM on Sunday morning, but the point is that, as some of you know, I have been working on putting Henry Wood into Kindle form. I wrote tonight's blog about the PC and Apple versions of the Kindle reader.
> 
> There are lots and lots of talented people here on Lumber Jocks. I am sure that some of you have thought about compiling your blog posts into a book, and the more I learn about it, the more excited I get. The one problem I see is that there are lots of people who don't have a Kindle. So now it is possible for anyone with a computer to get a reader and download books.
> 
> I know that many people here like reading, or you wouldn't be here, because there are lots of words. So if you want to play with the Kindle on your computer, feel free to check out my blog today. Or if you prefer, I will just give you the links to the site, so you can download your own Kindle reader.
> 
> 1) My blog: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/word-of-the-day/
> 2) Kindle for PC: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311
> 3) Kindle for Apple: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&ref_=amb_link_272409822_2&docId=1000464931
> 
> Ok, I am off to see if there are any good books on woodworking. If not, well I am sure we can write some.
> 
> Brian


Wonder what Gutenberg would think about all this?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Kindle Stuff*
> 
> Hey Everyone,
> 
> I made a great find last night. Ok, actually it was at about 3AM on Sunday morning, but the point is that, as some of you know, I have been working on putting Henry Wood into Kindle form. I wrote tonight's blog about the PC and Apple versions of the Kindle reader.
> 
> There are lots and lots of talented people here on Lumber Jocks. I am sure that some of you have thought about compiling your blog posts into a book, and the more I learn about it, the more excited I get. The one problem I see is that there are lots of people who don't have a Kindle. So now it is possible for anyone with a computer to get a reader and download books.
> 
> I know that many people here like reading, or you wouldn't be here, because there are lots of words. So if you want to play with the Kindle on your computer, feel free to check out my blog today. Or if you prefer, I will just give you the links to the site, so you can download your own Kindle reader.
> 
> 1) My blog: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/word-of-the-day/
> 2) Kindle for PC: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311
> 3) Kindle for Apple: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&ref_=amb_link_272409822_2&docId=1000464931
> 
> Ok, I am off to see if there are any good books on woodworking. If not, well I am sure we can write some.
> 
> Brian


KayBee,

That is a GREAT question. I am not sure if Johann Gutenberg would like it or not. He invention of the printing press was, I am sure, a result of wanting to improve the publishing business, and Kindle certainly does that. But of course, his printing presses created great works of art too, so I wonder.

I may have to read up on him and see if I can learn what sort of man he was. Great comment.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Time to learn something new...*

Hello All,

I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.

Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.

http://su.pr/6pOknL

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


Get a copy of Charles Neils "doors and drawers" it will make it a lot less scary


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


Your tools maybe gave you the "look," I am certain they were more than eager to get to work. YES I think everyone who does woodwork finds it relaxing , taking our minds off of what we think are important things to survive (like work)


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


Brian,

I tried twice to post a message to your site. First time got "Can't read CAPCHA Code file" error. Second time, it acted like it was going to post, but nothing happened.

Bill


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


I noticed my second post did go though. Not the one I spent my time on though. If you can, please configure things so that the user doesn't lose everything when things don't go like they should.


----------



## Gofor

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


I think that all of us who find pleasure in personal woodworking (this is not to include those who only do it in a commercial setting) share a few traits.

First: In the shop, it is us, the tools, and the wood. That means we are the deciding factor in every aspect that happens. Although we may not be used to or enjoy being in control, this is one place where we are forced to, but can do it at our own pace.

Second: We do not shy from the fact that the results are our responsibility. We may curse a tool for not working well or failing us, but did we tune it up, maintain it, or try the new one on something not too valuable? We all have the regrets, etc, but learn from them for the future.

Third: We take a personal pride in the success of our work, but always strive to do better "next time". It may be developing a new skill, using a new technique, or just doing what we already do to a higher level of finesse. Never static, always raising the bar for ourselves as we strive for a perfection that is only in our eyes, as we are our own worst critics. The knowledge gained from our experience only shows us how much we don't know and/or wish we did.

All good traits that are shared by others doing other things (I imagine those who play "cow pasture pool" known as golf share the same traits). However, those are the motivations that keep us striving for more .

Good on you for taking on the challenge and enjoying it, despite the trepidation.

Go


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


Gofor, Not only everything you said, but it's also a Creative outlet. You can imagine an endtable, from scratch, with all of the details you are willing to consider incorporating, or not. And you get to use your imagination as to the best way to try to achieve the results you want. Oh, and the tools…it's practically a history lesson. 

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


Gofar,

That was a wonderful take on woodworking. I agree completely, though I have yet found an instance where I would curse my tools. The blunders I consider my own. I think you are also correct about 'Golf', though I do like your name for it. I loved golf, long before I discovered woodworking, and those traits do seem to work there too. The big difference, I do curse my clubs. Which now that I think about it, is just silly.

Thanks so much for the comment.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


Bill,

I have checked the plugin and can't find any problems, which just may mean I don't know what I am doing. I am going to uninstall it and reinstall and hopefully that will fix the problem I am really sorry that you lost your comment on my site. I did notice that you bravely tried again and succeeded. I appreciate the effort.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


Jim,

Great video. I enjoyed it. I will have to look into the Drawers and Doors book. I do have a book, which is just about drawers. That is what I am using now, and it seems pretty good. When I get a little further into it, I will write a review and let you all know if it as good as it appears now.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Time to learn something new...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't get very far today, but getting started was half the battle. I have decided that the table I want to build, will have a drawer. That decision was difficult to reach, as it would have been easier to do one without. I have been fearing the drawer for along time, but it is time to get after it.
> 
> Tonight I got a late start, but it was a start none the less. It felt good to get back into the shop, even if some of my tools were unhappy with how much time I have NOT beens spending with them.
> 
> http://su.pr/6pOknL
> 
> Brian


Brian, My first post as you know fell into the bit bucket but basically it pondered: why you haven't named your router table, how the router table probably felt about that, and whether you were making a two-bit drawer (pun intended). My first post interwove these topics, sort of like the report on "Why I want a bb-gun for Christmas", into a literary masterpiece, but, alas, those bits are gone forever… : )

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

*Love my LN Chisels*

Hello,

My Lie-Nielsen 3/4" chisel and the fishtail, named Manfred and Donna respectively, did a great job today. We had lots of fun, despite me making one slight stratigic blunder.

http://su.pr/3Y9evq

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Love my LN Chisels*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> My Lie-Nielsen 3/4" chisel and the fishtail, named Manfred and Donna respectively, did a great job today. We had lots of fun, despite me making one slight stratigic blunder.
> 
> http://su.pr/3Y9evq
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


A story like this is why I read your posts. Tools that talk, and you having fun doing the woodworking.
You have once again made my night ! Thanks


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Love my LN Chisels*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> My Lie-Nielsen 3/4" chisel and the fishtail, named Manfred and Donna respectively, did a great job today. We had lots of fun, despite me making one slight stratigic blunder.
> 
> http://su.pr/3Y9evq
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Your friendly comments always make my day! Thanks Canadianchips!!!


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Love my LN Chisels*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> My Lie-Nielsen 3/4" chisel and the fishtail, named Manfred and Donna respectively, did a great job today. We had lots of fun, despite me making one slight stratigic blunder.
> 
> http://su.pr/3Y9evq
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


great blog Brian good to see some serius work from Donna and Manfred

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Love my LN Chisels*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> My Lie-Nielsen 3/4" chisel and the fishtail, named Manfred and Donna respectively, did a great job today. We had lots of fun, despite me making one slight stratigic blunder.
> 
> http://su.pr/3Y9evq
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Thanks Dennis. I will tell them you stopped by.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Dovetail Cutting*

Hello,

So I did the pins last night and tonight was very fired up for the tails. It didn't go as planned, but I got some good photos. I am choosing to look at the positive.

The Blog is Up, which is surprising considering the difficulties I had today. But I am still happy!

http://su.pr/4TNPgT

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Dovetail Cutting*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> So I did the pins last night and tonight was very fired up for the tails. It didn't go as planned, but I got some good photos. I am choosing to look at the positive.
> 
> The Blog is Up, which is surprising considering the difficulties I had today. But I am still happy!
> 
> http://su.pr/4TNPgT
> 
> Brian


nice blog Brian
but you shuold realy make those dovetail smaller so Donna and Manfred 
realy can give you a dancing lesson on the stage as they sopose to do for you
and I´m sure they wuold love to give you such a performens that is matching 
the royal ballet compagny in copenhagen when they make the svanelake

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*No woodworking tonight...*

Hello All,

I like to give an honest preview of my blog, and the realities are I just didn't get any woodworking done today. I did write a blog piece, but it may not be of any interest to those who like my woodworking foibles.

Still Optimistic

http://su.pr/1GqweF

I wrote a piece about Optimism on Tues, after some bad news, I am still happy.

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *No woodworking tonight...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I like to give an honest preview of my blog, and the realities are I just didn't get any woodworking done today. I did write a blog piece, but it may not be of any interest to those who like my woodworking foibles.
> 
> Still Optimistic
> 
> http://su.pr/1GqweF
> 
> I wrote a piece about Optimism on Tues, after some bad news, I am still happy.
> 
> Brian


I lost a lot of information back in the mid-ninety's, then again in 2000. ALL due to my own ignorance. Since then I no longer rely on automated,self doing, packaged software. I make my own copies of information monthly (At worst I may loose 30 days of info) the rest is on storage discs. It seems like a hassle, BUT SO WAS loosing everything I thought I was protected from !
Hope you will get back your info and pictures soon. (We all know your tools will be willing to pose for new photo op.)


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Better Dovetail*

Hello All,

If you recall, two night's ago, I cut a rather sad and pathetic dovetail. Tonight I improved! I am stoked. Do woodworkers get stoked? Or is it just survers and fires? I don't know, but I digress.

http://su.pr/15xxnN

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *A Better Dovetail*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> If you recall, two night's ago, I cut a rather sad and pathetic dovetail. Tonight I improved! I am stoked. Do woodworkers get stoked? Or is it just survers and fires? I don't know, but I digress.
> 
> http://su.pr/15xxnN
> 
> Brian


They are better than mine.
OH, have you ever seen photo of my dovetails. NO !
I have machine, nice brand new dovetail templates, dowetail router bit, fine cut hand saw, good chisels. I HAVE never made a dovetail in 34 years. What color is my red face now, I am embarrased !


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Woodworking Miracle*

Hello LJ's,

Today I attempted my first half blind dovetail. I don't want to give away the ending to the story, but I think you will enjoy today's blog.

http://su.pr/1rqUfj

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *A Woodworking Miracle*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I attempted my first half blind dovetail. I don't want to give away the ending to the story, but I think you will enjoy today's blog.
> 
> http://su.pr/1rqUfj
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


I like that one !
First thought that came to mind when I read half blind dovetails. "He's going to do this WITHOUT reading Glasses" lol


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Woodworking Miracle*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I attempted my first half blind dovetail. I don't want to give away the ending to the story, but I think you will enjoy today's blog.
> 
> http://su.pr/1rqUfj
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Canadianchips,

That is a good one! I wish I had thought of it. It would have made the post even better.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A Woodworking Miracle*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I attempted my first half blind dovetail. I don't want to give away the ending to the story, but I think you will enjoy today's blog.
> 
> http://su.pr/1rqUfj
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


) liked the story it is a good one 
but that photographer shuold realy tast the teeth of the crocodiles
if it wasn´t becourse he is the royal writer standing beside the King to take notes

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Woodworking Miracle*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> Today I attempted my first half blind dovetail. I don't want to give away the ending to the story, but I think you will enjoy today's blog.
> 
> http://su.pr/1rqUfj
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


He really should. Hopefully, he will be going home in a day or two, to retrieve his camera battery charger, and thus not need to be come croc food.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Half Blind Dovetail Success*

Hello All,

I felt terrible that I was unable to include a picture in yesterday's blog. I cut another half blind, for the other side of the drawer and it turned out even better. So though I don't have my Nikon, I used my iphone to take a photo for tonight's blog.

I also included a new poll widget on my blog. I want your opinion on how much I should charge for my Kindle version of Henry Wood. I will be keeping all the chapters up on the blog, so it will always be available for free. I don't care if you don't have a Kindle or not. I just want people to give their gut vote. It would help a bunch.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/half-blind-success/

Thanks for your help,

Brian

p.s. I am also considering a contest to promote the book. The prize would be tiny box. Feel free to comment on my contest ideas or suggest your own.


----------



## davidmicraig

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Dovetail Success*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I felt terrible that I was unable to include a picture in yesterday's blog. I cut another half blind, for the other side of the drawer and it turned out even better. So though I don't have my Nikon, I used my iphone to take a photo for tonight's blog.
> 
> I also included a new poll widget on my blog. I want your opinion on how much I should charge for my Kindle version of Henry Wood. I will be keeping all the chapters up on the blog, so it will always be available for free. I don't care if you don't have a Kindle or not. I just want people to give their gut vote. It would help a bunch.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/half-blind-success/
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am also considering a contest to promote the book. The prize would be tiny box. Feel free to comment on my contest ideas or suggest your own.


I think you might want to edit this post Brian. I don't believe you are J.K. Rowling  I believe you meant Henry Wood

David


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Dovetail Success*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I felt terrible that I was unable to include a picture in yesterday's blog. I cut another half blind, for the other side of the drawer and it turned out even better. So though I don't have my Nikon, I used my iphone to take a photo for tonight's blog.
> 
> I also included a new poll widget on my blog. I want your opinion on how much I should charge for my Kindle version of Henry Wood. I will be keeping all the chapters up on the blog, so it will always be available for free. I don't care if you don't have a Kindle or not. I just want people to give their gut vote. It would help a bunch.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/half-blind-success/
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am also considering a contest to promote the book. The prize would be tiny box. Feel free to comment on my contest ideas or suggest your own.


David,

Wow, that was a not so small typing blunder. I guess I have dilusions of grandeur. I was talking about rereading the Harry Potter books earlier this evening, and I guess my mind was still on that. Thanks for the editorial help.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Dovetail Success*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I felt terrible that I was unable to include a picture in yesterday's blog. I cut another half blind, for the other side of the drawer and it turned out even better. So though I don't have my Nikon, I used my iphone to take a photo for tonight's blog.
> 
> I also included a new poll widget on my blog. I want your opinion on how much I should charge for my Kindle version of Henry Wood. I will be keeping all the chapters up on the blog, so it will always be available for free. I don't care if you don't have a Kindle or not. I just want people to give their gut vote. It would help a bunch.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/half-blind-success/
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am also considering a contest to promote the book. The prize would be tiny box. Feel free to comment on my contest ideas or suggest your own.


I´m sure if you plane that dovetail it wuold be slick as a …... ;-)
you have realy come along way with them

and your cover ain´t bad either , just the right colours 
even thow its a detective story some wood/tool related on the front
like a stack fresch cut timber with a little snow on the top
and one of the old two man saws resting against it
still in black and white ( sort of playing with his name and a hint of his person)

for the last thing I have no idea of how much theese things go for but 4,95
sounds pslogish (cant spell it LOL ) right

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Dovetail Success*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I felt terrible that I was unable to include a picture in yesterday's blog. I cut another half blind, for the other side of the drawer and it turned out even better. So though I don't have my Nikon, I used my iphone to take a photo for tonight's blog.
> 
> I also included a new poll widget on my blog. I want your opinion on how much I should charge for my Kindle version of Henry Wood. I will be keeping all the chapters up on the blog, so it will always be available for free. I don't care if you don't have a Kindle or not. I just want people to give their gut vote. It would help a bunch.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/half-blind-success/
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am also considering a contest to promote the book. The prize would be tiny box. Feel free to comment on my contest ideas or suggest your own.


Dennis,

There are some subtle things going on with the cover. Because of the year, and also because of my love for Art Deco, I wanted the cover to reflect that period. Also, the cover also is a close up of the spline on the box which contains the letter to Luna from her father. Because it is a close up, and one is looking at it straight on, it isn't quite so apparent. Which was my intent. So that is the story of the book cover.

I am glad you liked it.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Dovetail Success*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I felt terrible that I was unable to include a picture in yesterday's blog. I cut another half blind, for the other side of the drawer and it turned out even better. So though I don't have my Nikon, I used my iphone to take a photo for tonight's blog.
> 
> I also included a new poll widget on my blog. I want your opinion on how much I should charge for my Kindle version of Henry Wood. I will be keeping all the chapters up on the blog, so it will always be available for free. I don't care if you don't have a Kindle or not. I just want people to give their gut vote. It would help a bunch.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/half-blind-success/
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am also considering a contest to promote the book. The prize would be tiny box. Feel free to comment on my contest ideas or suggest your own.


huu my hat of for your great way of combinate it 
I shuold have gessed there was more behind the front-cover 
than just the opvius

take care
Dennis


----------



## willmego

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Dovetail Success*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I felt terrible that I was unable to include a picture in yesterday's blog. I cut another half blind, for the other side of the drawer and it turned out even better. So though I don't have my Nikon, I used my iphone to take a photo for tonight's blog.
> 
> I also included a new poll widget on my blog. I want your opinion on how much I should charge for my Kindle version of Henry Wood. I will be keeping all the chapters up on the blog, so it will always be available for free. I don't care if you don't have a Kindle or not. I just want people to give their gut vote. It would help a bunch.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/half-blind-success/
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am also considering a contest to promote the book. The prize would be tiny box. Feel free to comment on my contest ideas or suggest your own.


Price your work by what you want it to be worth, not what you consider it to be worth, and for sure not what somebody ELSE thinks it's worth. Price it what you want it to be worth, then look at it and decide if it's worth that much, and if it isn't, get back to work and make it worth that much.

In general, people tend to lowball their work, and if you price it that low, people will rightly consider it to be worth very little.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Dovetail Success*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I felt terrible that I was unable to include a picture in yesterday's blog. I cut another half blind, for the other side of the drawer and it turned out even better. So though I don't have my Nikon, I used my iphone to take a photo for tonight's blog.
> 
> I also included a new poll widget on my blog. I want your opinion on how much I should charge for my Kindle version of Henry Wood. I will be keeping all the chapters up on the blog, so it will always be available for free. I don't care if you don't have a Kindle or not. I just want people to give their gut vote. It would help a bunch.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/half-blind-success/
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am also considering a contest to promote the book. The prize would be tiny box. Feel free to comment on my contest ideas or suggest your own.


Will Mego,

I think there is some truth in what you say. I would certainly do this with any woodworking projects I completed. With a book though, one needs to take into account volume. I want to price it at a point where it will both maximize revenue and volume. Being a first time author, this is something that will be partly a guess. With Kindle, if one gets enough volume, one gets ranked higher, which leads to more sales. If one is able to crack the top 100 in a genre, mystery for example, it can lead to many sales.

So I asked people's opinion, to help me gauge public sentiment. It has given me a good starting point, but I am sure I will need to make adjustments to truly achieve the best possible results.

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## willmego

Ecocandle said:


> *Half Blind Dovetail Success*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I felt terrible that I was unable to include a picture in yesterday's blog. I cut another half blind, for the other side of the drawer and it turned out even better. So though I don't have my Nikon, I used my iphone to take a photo for tonight's blog.
> 
> I also included a new poll widget on my blog. I want your opinion on how much I should charge for my Kindle version of Henry Wood. I will be keeping all the chapters up on the blog, so it will always be available for free. I don't care if you don't have a Kindle or not. I just want people to give their gut vote. It would help a bunch.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/10/half-blind-success/
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am also considering a contest to promote the book. The prize would be tiny box. Feel free to comment on my contest ideas or suggest your own.


yup..I was actually speaking as somebody in the music business with a publishing company, and is consulting on the release of a novel being printed and published this winter.

Best of luck!


----------



## Ecocandle

*A bit more practice*

Hello All,

I always feel badly when I post in here, if my blog isn't about woodworking. Tonight it is! The last week has been almost entirely about getting the Kindle book ready, but now that I am back home, I made it down into the shop. Another half blind dovetail cut and I feel good about it. I also have a guess the photo contest. No prize though, but it might still be fun. It might not be fun…I don't know…it is the sort of thing I enjoy though.

http://su.pr/2yNhuJ

Brian


----------



## ShopTinker

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit more practice*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I always feel badly when I post in here, if my blog isn't about woodworking. Tonight it is! The last week has been almost entirely about getting the Kindle book ready, but now that I am back home, I made it down into the shop. Another half blind dovetail cut and I feel good about it. I also have a guess the photo contest. No prize though, but it might still be fun. It might not be fun…I don't know…it is the sort of thing I enjoy though.
> 
> http://su.pr/2yNhuJ
> 
> Brian


The dovetail is nicely done. Your mystery picture, is it the side view of a concrete highway barricade?


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit more practice*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I always feel badly when I post in here, if my blog isn't about woodworking. Tonight it is! The last week has been almost entirely about getting the Kindle book ready, but now that I am back home, I made it down into the shop. Another half blind dovetail cut and I feel good about it. I also have a guess the photo contest. No prize though, but it might still be fun. It might not be fun…I don't know…it is the sort of thing I enjoy though.
> 
> http://su.pr/2yNhuJ
> 
> Brian


Concrete wal with expansion joint.
Missed ya for awhile ?
My computor became ill.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A bit more practice*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I always feel badly when I post in here, if my blog isn't about woodworking. Tonight it is! The last week has been almost entirely about getting the Kindle book ready, but now that I am back home, I made it down into the shop. Another half blind dovetail cut and I feel good about it. I also have a guess the photo contest. No prize though, but it might still be fun. It might not be fun…I don't know…it is the sort of thing I enjoy though.
> 
> http://su.pr/2yNhuJ
> 
> Brian


Autumn,

Thanks. It is nice to be missed.

Shop Tinkerer,

You are very close. It is a close up of big culvert. I think that is what they are called…giant concrete pipe used for sewers? Anyway, you are right, it is concrete.

Canadianchips,

You are very close in your guess too.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Pride Goeth Before a Fall*

Hello All,

Tonight I demonstrate how NOT to cut a half blind dovetail.

Pride Goeth Before a Fall | http://su.pr/28MsKt <with a photo

Brian

p.s. And I gave the answer to the photo guessing bit from yesterday.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Nothing to see here....*

Hello,

I did only the slightest bit of woodworking today. I applied the last coat to the ikebana. That is all. The blog doesn't have any pictures or anything. But if you want to read my ramblings, then here you go.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/11/short-gain/

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Blog is up*

Hello,

My blog, entitled 'Gutter Gunk', is up. There is some woodworking and some house maintenance chores, in this issue. No pictures though, as the gunk I was pulling from the gutters, wasn't very photogenic. I am sorry. But I am pleased to have them clean, and I can now glue up the ikebana, and consider it done.

http://su.pr/2axwiE

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Blog is up*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> My blog, entitled 'Gutter Gunk', is up. There is some woodworking and some house maintenance chores, in this issue. No pictures though, as the gunk I was pulling from the gutters, wasn't very photogenic. I am sorry. But I am pleased to have them clean, and I can now glue up the ikebana, and consider it done.
> 
> http://su.pr/2axwiE
> 
> Brian


You have set the example, now she thinks ours need to be done ! (She is right)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Blog is up*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> My blog, entitled 'Gutter Gunk', is up. There is some woodworking and some house maintenance chores, in this issue. No pictures though, as the gunk I was pulling from the gutters, wasn't very photogenic. I am sorry. But I am pleased to have them clean, and I can now glue up the ikebana, and consider it done.
> 
> http://su.pr/2axwiE
> 
> Brian


I am glad it is a chore, which only needs to be done, once per year.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Bubbles*

Hello,

I had some bubbles in the latest coat of shellac I applied. I think this may be rather common when applying shellac, though I can't be sure. I have only applied 3 coats, and maybe it is the foam brushes which are the problem. Anyway, I was about to glue up the ikebana, when I saw the bubbles, so I need to sand them out, and apply some more shellac. It is only a minor setback. On the upside, I figured out the code for how to do a NCX table of contents, for my Kindle book. That makes me happy.

http://su.pr/2nsrA4

Brian


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Bubbles*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I had some bubbles in the latest coat of shellac I applied. I think this may be rather common when applying shellac, though I can't be sure. I have only applied 3 coats, and maybe it is the foam brushes which are the problem. Anyway, I was about to glue up the ikebana, when I saw the bubbles, so I need to sand them out, and apply some more shellac. It is only a minor setback. On the upside, I figured out the code for how to do a NCX table of contents, for my Kindle book. That makes me happy.
> 
> http://su.pr/2nsrA4
> 
> Brian


were you successful at getting rid of the bubbles?


----------



## Ecocandle

*Good Day in the Shop*

Hello LJ's,

Though my last attempt, at a half blind dovetail, was a miserable failure, I decided to try one with two tails today. This seemed like the next step in my education, so I took it. I am thrilled with how it turned out. So were my tools.

Good Day in the Shop - Extremely Average http://su.pr/5dW1YH

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*More half blind dovetails*

Hello All,

I continued to practice half blind dovetails today. I really like cutting them, or more aptly, chiseling them out. I think half blinds are more fun than regular dovetails, though perhaps it is just the newness of them. I am sure whatever I learn next, will become my favorite. That is how woodworking seems to go for me.

http://su.pr/2lEgIO

Brian


----------



## dbray45

Ecocandle said:


> *More half blind dovetails*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I continued to practice half blind dovetails today. I really like cutting them, or more aptly, chiseling them out. I think half blinds are more fun than regular dovetails, though perhaps it is just the newness of them. I am sure whatever I learn next, will become my favorite. That is how woodworking seems to go for me.
> 
> http://su.pr/2lEgIO
> 
> Brian


If you want to make this easier, there are two things you may want to do. Find three paring 1/8" chisels that you can change. One of them grind the top of the chisel from the normal tapered sides to a 45 degree triangle or less, eliminating the flat sides and resharpen to straight across. This will greatly help you get into the corners. The other two chisels regrind to about 30 degree skew, one left and one right. Use a wet grinder if you can, at least use a slow wheel and keep the steel cool, otherwise you will have to reharden the steel.

Since you are using these for paring and not for mallet use you can put a 20 degree edge and use for cleaning up the hard to reach corners.

The chisels I customize are the most inexpensive that I can find, if I make a mistake, little is lost.

These will greatly help your efforts.


----------



## Ecocandle

*More Henry Wood*

Hello All,

I have undertaken a new job, and it will take up much of my time, for the holidays. As some of you may know, I started blogging Jan 2, of 2010, and done so every day since then. I have posted links to most of the woodworking posts (which make up about 85% of my blog) here, and I try to focus the majority of my effort on woodworking. But over the next two months, I may have many days which are too full to allow for woodworking, and thus, a blog about my woodworking.

So I am starting my next Henry Wood novel or novella. I won't know the correct term, until I am finished. I feel badly that I won't be able to write as much about woodworking, but alas, that is the state of things in my life for the next two months. Writing fiction, is something I can do, while on break and such. Woodworking, not so much.

This is Chapter 1 of Henry Wood (Time and Again) the chapter is entitled, 'The Song'.

http://su.pr/7vqe4c

Sincerely,

Brian Meeks


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have undertaken a new job, and it will take up much of my time, for the holidays. As some of you may know, I started blogging Jan 2, of 2010, and done so every day since then. I have posted links to most of the woodworking posts (which make up about 85% of my blog) here, and I try to focus the majority of my effort on woodworking. But over the next two months, I may have many days which are too full to allow for woodworking, and thus, a blog about my woodworking.
> 
> So I am starting my next Henry Wood novel or novella. I won't know the correct term, until I am finished. I feel badly that I won't be able to write as much about woodworking, but alas, that is the state of things in my life for the next two months. Writing fiction, is something I can do, while on break and such. Woodworking, not so much.
> 
> This is Chapter 1 of Henry Wood (Time and Again) the chapter is entitled, 'The Song'.
> 
> http://su.pr/7vqe4c
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


"Writing fiction, is something I can do, while on break and such. Woodworking, not so much."

Then why do it here? Surely there is a much more appropriate site to post your fiction. This is a woodworking forum. I appreciate all of your posts that make an effort to stay on topic…the rest not so much.


----------



## rivergirl

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have undertaken a new job, and it will take up much of my time, for the holidays. As some of you may know, I started blogging Jan 2, of 2010, and done so every day since then. I have posted links to most of the woodworking posts (which make up about 85% of my blog) here, and I try to focus the majority of my effort on woodworking. But over the next two months, I may have many days which are too full to allow for woodworking, and thus, a blog about my woodworking.
> 
> So I am starting my next Henry Wood novel or novella. I won't know the correct term, until I am finished. I feel badly that I won't be able to write as much about woodworking, but alas, that is the state of things in my life for the next two months. Writing fiction, is something I can do, while on break and such. Woodworking, not so much.
> 
> This is Chapter 1 of Henry Wood (Time and Again) the chapter is entitled, 'The Song'.
> 
> http://su.pr/7vqe4c
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


Wow Bill. That was blunt.


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have undertaken a new job, and it will take up much of my time, for the holidays. As some of you may know, I started blogging Jan 2, of 2010, and done so every day since then. I have posted links to most of the woodworking posts (which make up about 85% of my blog) here, and I try to focus the majority of my effort on woodworking. But over the next two months, I may have many days which are too full to allow for woodworking, and thus, a blog about my woodworking.
> 
> So I am starting my next Henry Wood novel or novella. I won't know the correct term, until I am finished. I feel badly that I won't be able to write as much about woodworking, but alas, that is the state of things in my life for the next two months. Writing fiction, is something I can do, while on break and such. Woodworking, not so much.
> 
> This is Chapter 1 of Henry Wood (Time and Again) the chapter is entitled, 'The Song'.
> 
> http://su.pr/7vqe4c
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


Good Luck Brian,
Most of us that do woodworking as a hobby get pulled away from time to time. We'll all be here when you get time to get back to it. I'll wish you the best with this new job you are taking on!


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have undertaken a new job, and it will take up much of my time, for the holidays. As some of you may know, I started blogging Jan 2, of 2010, and done so every day since then. I have posted links to most of the woodworking posts (which make up about 85% of my blog) here, and I try to focus the majority of my effort on woodworking. But over the next two months, I may have many days which are too full to allow for woodworking, and thus, a blog about my woodworking.
> 
> So I am starting my next Henry Wood novel or novella. I won't know the correct term, until I am finished. I feel badly that I won't be able to write as much about woodworking, but alas, that is the state of things in my life for the next two months. Writing fiction, is something I can do, while on break and such. Woodworking, not so much.
> 
> This is Chapter 1 of Henry Wood (Time and Again) the chapter is entitled, 'The Song'.
> 
> http://su.pr/7vqe4c
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


congrat´s with your new job Brian ,good luck with it 
and ceep the blogs coming as you used to

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *More Henry Wood*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have undertaken a new job, and it will take up much of my time, for the holidays. As some of you may know, I started blogging Jan 2, of 2010, and done so every day since then. I have posted links to most of the woodworking posts (which make up about 85% of my blog) here, and I try to focus the majority of my effort on woodworking. But over the next two months, I may have many days which are too full to allow for woodworking, and thus, a blog about my woodworking.
> 
> So I am starting my next Henry Wood novel or novella. I won't know the correct term, until I am finished. I feel badly that I won't be able to write as much about woodworking, but alas, that is the state of things in my life for the next two months. Writing fiction, is something I can do, while on break and such. Woodworking, not so much.
> 
> This is Chapter 1 of Henry Wood (Time and Again) the chapter is entitled, 'The Song'.
> 
> http://su.pr/7vqe4c
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Meeks


Bill729,

The answer is simple. There are a handful of readers who have requested that I post my blog updates, and many of my most die hard Henry Wood fans are LJ's.

Thanks for your feedback,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*I read a great book...*

Hello All,

I just finished 'A Reverence for Wood', by Eric Sloane. It was delightful. Tonight's blog is my review. I think that most woodworkers would enjoy this book.

http://su.pr/2KEEWz

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## littlecope

Ecocandle said:


> *I read a great book...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just finished 'A Reverence for Wood', by Eric Sloane. It was delightful. Tonight's blog is my review. I think that most woodworkers would enjoy this book.
> 
> http://su.pr/2KEEWz
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Excellent Book indeed, Eric!!
When I Googled Eric Sloane, I was a little surprised to learn that he is chiefly remembered for his Painting. Not that he doesn't deserve it mind you, but he was the banner bearer for Early Americana, before Roy Underhill came along…
This book, and many others that he wrote, covered not only Tools and Wood-craft but also Early Weather Forecasting… an equally fascinating topic…
It is rather saddening to see how little notoriety he gained, and how his work is slowly vanishing. Very much like his subject matter, history is marching over and past it… and it's everyone's loss… 
Thanks though, for trying to re-instill some interest in him!! I too, would recommend any of his books!!


----------



## rivergirl

Ecocandle said:


> *I read a great book...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just finished 'A Reverence for Wood', by Eric Sloane. It was delightful. Tonight's blog is my review. I think that most woodworkers would enjoy this book.
> 
> http://su.pr/2KEEWz
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


You blog mentioned the multifaceted of charcoal so I thought I would post this here as well. Charcoal is also a standard antidote for poison. I always keep some natural charcoal (not the self starter kind) around because I have dogs and puppies who sometimes eat things they shouldn't. Just scape the charcoal on the little side of a grater and make it into powder. Add a tiny bit of water and shovel several tablespoons into the dogs mouth. Works very well, but makes for a black gooey mess when it comes out the other end.  If you have pets, you should also have some charcoal handy.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I read a great book...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just finished 'A Reverence for Wood', by Eric Sloane. It was delightful. Tonight's blog is my review. I think that most woodworkers would enjoy this book.
> 
> http://su.pr/2KEEWz
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


I am so happy to find other people who are passionate about Eric Sloane's work. I hope to buy and read some of his other works during the holidays. I will definitely do reviews for anything else I might read, as I would love to help instill some interest in his work.


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Moment of Woodworking*

Hello All,

I didn't have to work today, so I had a some time for woodworking. I have missed being able to do it every day. So I continued work on my tiny drawer. In taking the photos for the post, I tried something new, and it worked. So I got better at woodworking and photography tonight. That is a pretty good day, in my humble opinion.

http://su.pr/26Vlxf

Brian


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *A Moment of Woodworking*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't have to work today, so I had a some time for woodworking. I have missed being able to do it every day. So I continued work on my tiny drawer. In taking the photos for the post, I tried something new, and it worked. So I got better at woodworking and photography tonight. That is a pretty good day, in my humble opinion.
> 
> http://su.pr/26Vlxf
> 
> Brian


Special lighting for your tools to do a photo opp? Next thing your tools will DEMAND makeup and cosmetic surgery, so they can look good in front of camera.! Do they have an agent yet ?
LMAO.
PS (Woodworking has been my "therapy" for many years…..better than any pill, NO SIDE EFFECTS)


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A Moment of Woodworking*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't have to work today, so I had a some time for woodworking. I have missed being able to do it every day. So I continued work on my tiny drawer. In taking the photos for the post, I tried something new, and it worked. So I got better at woodworking and photography tonight. That is a pretty good day, in my humble opinion.
> 
> http://su.pr/26Vlxf
> 
> Brian


 you are only been bite by the bug all is normal nothing unuseal there Brian

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Moment of Woodworking*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't have to work today, so I had a some time for woodworking. I have missed being able to do it every day. So I continued work on my tiny drawer. In taking the photos for the post, I tried something new, and it worked. So I got better at woodworking and photography tonight. That is a pretty good day, in my humble opinion.
> 
> http://su.pr/26Vlxf
> 
> Brian


Canadianchips,

I hope my tools don't see your comment, as I am sure you are right, they would demand an agent. I have no idea what they are up to, when I am not here, so I guess I will just play dumb, until they start demanding more money.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *A Moment of Woodworking*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't have to work today, so I had a some time for woodworking. I have missed being able to do it every day. So I continued work on my tiny drawer. In taking the photos for the post, I tried something new, and it worked. So I got better at woodworking and photography tonight. That is a pretty good day, in my humble opinion.
> 
> http://su.pr/26Vlxf
> 
> Brian


Brian,

Be wary, for all you know they could be chiselers…

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *A Moment of Woodworking*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I didn't have to work today, so I had a some time for woodworking. I have missed being able to do it every day. So I continued work on my tiny drawer. In taking the photos for the post, I tried something new, and it worked. So I got better at woodworking and photography tonight. That is a pretty good day, in my humble opinion.
> 
> http://su.pr/26Vlxf
> 
> Brian


Bill729,

LOL…very good. Two points!

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Food and Lumber*

Hello All,

It is starting to feel like winter out, and it is only going to get worse. I didn't have a lot of time or energy tonight, but the little bit I could muster, led to some good tails. Perhaps my best yet.

http://su.pr/1E7yRV


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Food and Lumber*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It is starting to feel like winter out, and it is only going to get worse. I didn't have a lot of time or energy tonight, but the little bit I could muster, led to some good tails. Perhaps my best yet.
> 
> http://su.pr/1E7yRV


great blog Brian 
good to hear you have such progress in the skill of making dovetail´s
just as a note you are a lot better than I´m

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Food and Lumber*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It is starting to feel like winter out, and it is only going to get worse. I didn't have a lot of time or energy tonight, but the little bit I could muster, led to some good tails. Perhaps my best yet.
> 
> http://su.pr/1E7yRV


Thanks Dennis.


----------



## Ecocandle

*The drawer sides are done...again...*

Hello All,

I cut the pins on the back piece, of my tiny drawer. When the drawer sides are assembled they pins are very snug. It is almost hard to take back apart. I am very pleased with how it has turned out thus far. Of cousre, a drawer isn't a drawer, until it has a bottom. It was the grooves ro the bottom which caused my undoing on the last attempt. It is all part of the journey, but the successes are more fun than the failures. 

http://su.pr/1ZK9RE

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The drawer sides are done...again...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I cut the pins on the back piece, of my tiny drawer. When the drawer sides are assembled they pins are very snug. It is almost hard to take back apart. I am very pleased with how it has turned out thus far. Of cousre, a drawer isn't a drawer, until it has a bottom. It was the grooves ro the bottom which caused my undoing on the last attempt. It is all part of the journey, but the successes are more fun than the failures.
> 
> http://su.pr/1ZK9RE
> 
> Brian


hello Brian 
you don´t have to have a template to cut the grove
you can use two blocks fastened to your fench on the routertable
to make a stoped grove , or if you want a new handtool ..LOL
use a plovplane like the little Veritas or you can use a little routerplane or big one 
I wuold go for a little routerplane in this case

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Ch 4*

Hello All,

I worked on my the template for cutting the grooves in my tiny drawer today, but it wasn't enough for a proper blog entry, so I added another chapter to the latest Henry Wood.

http://su.pr/2MbwjT

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 4*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I worked on my the template for cutting the grooves in my tiny drawer today, but it wasn't enough for a proper blog entry, so I added another chapter to the latest Henry Wood.
> 
> http://su.pr/2MbwjT
> 
> Brian


 thank´s a good chapter before bedtime

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*It Fits*

Hello LJ's,

It has been a long time since I had a bunch of photos about woodworking. Tonight I did a much better job. The quest today, was to build a template to cut the groove for the drawer bottom, for the front and back. I love learning new things and my plan worked really well. When I assembeled the drawer, it fit together really snugly, and I was happy.

http://su.pr/1GEMKm

Brian


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *It Fits*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> It has been a long time since I had a bunch of photos about woodworking. Tonight I did a much better job. The quest today, was to build a template to cut the groove for the drawer bottom, for the front and back. I love learning new things and my plan worked really well. When I assembeled the drawer, it fit together really snugly, and I was happy.
> 
> http://su.pr/1GEMKm
> 
> Brian


gotta love it when a plan works out!!


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *It Fits*
> 
> Hello LJ's,
> 
> It has been a long time since I had a bunch of photos about woodworking. Tonight I did a much better job. The quest today, was to build a template to cut the groove for the drawer bottom, for the front and back. I love learning new things and my plan worked really well. When I assembeled the drawer, it fit together really snugly, and I was happy.
> 
> http://su.pr/1GEMKm
> 
> Brian


congrat´s Brian 
and if you ain´t build a unit around those drawers you can always make a lid to them 

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Chapter 4*

Hello All,

I worked 11 hours today and had fun. This left little time for woodworking, but I was able to add another chapter to the latest Henry Wood. I hope you enjoy it.

http://su.pr/8JxZtq

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Chapter 4*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I worked 11 hours today and had fun. This left little time for woodworking, but I was able to add another chapter to the latest Henry Wood. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> http://su.pr/8JxZtq
> 
> Brian


thank´s another good chapter to sleep on

now the bed is calling

goodnight
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Ch 5*

Hello All,

I think that this is my favorite chapter thus far. While I was working today, I sort of let the ideas rattle around in my noggin all day. When I finally got home and wrote them down, the little bits of ideas seemed to go really well together.

Henry Wood Chapter 5

http://su.pr/9YrbRX

Thanks,

Brian

p.s. I am going to start working on a matte board cutting/photograpy table on Tuesday. First step will be to go buy some wood for the legs, and Tuesday will be my first opportunity to get to the lumber yard.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 5*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I think that this is my favorite chapter thus far. While I was working today, I sort of let the ideas rattle around in my noggin all day. When I finally got home and wrote them down, the little bits of ideas seemed to go really well together.
> 
> Henry Wood Chapter 5
> 
> http://su.pr/9YrbRX
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am going to start working on a matte board cutting/photograpy table on Tuesday. First step will be to go buy some wood for the legs, and Tuesday will be my first opportunity to get to the lumber yard.


you ain´t gonna like it….........LOL
you cuold´t resist it cuold you ….....to lay out a little bait to us 

I thought you had enoff wood in the basement for the next cupple of years 

look forward to see your table

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 5*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I think that this is my favorite chapter thus far. While I was working today, I sort of let the ideas rattle around in my noggin all day. When I finally got home and wrote them down, the little bits of ideas seemed to go really well together.
> 
> Henry Wood Chapter 5
> 
> http://su.pr/9YrbRX
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I am going to start working on a matte board cutting/photograpy table on Tuesday. First step will be to go buy some wood for the legs, and Tuesday will be my first opportunity to get to the lumber yard.


Well I do have enough wood for the table, but I think my wood is too nice for the simple table I am building. It is going to be like my work bench, so I think some regular 4×4's will be better.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Good Question RTB*

Hello All,

RTB, who hangs out here a bunch, asked me a good question in the comments for my blog. So I decided to write tonight's blog in response to his query about Henry Wood.

http://su.pr/1z8FXr


----------



## Ecocandle

*Charlie the Tiny Box got Adopted*

Hello All,

Today we had a going away party for Charlie the tiny box, as he was adopted. He is off to Conniticuit. I took lots of photos of the party. I hope you enjoy.

http://su.pr/4NQFh4

Brian


----------



## MsDebbieP

Ecocandle said:


> *Charlie the Tiny Box got Adopted*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today we had a going away party for Charlie the tiny box, as he was adopted. He is off to Conniticuit. I took lots of photos of the party. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/4NQFh4
> 
> Brian


have a good life Charlie- you've had a good beginning


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Charlie the Tiny Box got Adopted*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today we had a going away party for Charlie the tiny box, as he was adopted. He is off to Conniticuit. I took lots of photos of the party. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/4NQFh4
> 
> Brian


see you later Charlie 
thank´s for the update Brian 

Dennis


----------



## racerglen

Ecocandle said:


> *Charlie the Tiny Box got Adopted*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today we had a going away party for Charlie the tiny box, as he was adopted. He is off to Conniticuit. I took lots of photos of the party. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/4NQFh4
> 
> Brian


Now that's an "aawww" 
You could probably get a job creating new Christmas stories !
;-)


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Charlie the Tiny Box got Adopted*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Today we had a going away party for Charlie the tiny box, as he was adopted. He is off to Conniticuit. I took lots of photos of the party. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> http://su.pr/4NQFh4
> 
> Brian


I am glad everyone enjoyed the Charlie story. It was fun to write, and I will have the tiny boxes tell Charlie that you all wish him well.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood: Time and Again Ch 7 Voices*

Hello All,

I bought some wood for the legs on my next project. I was torn between writing about my ideas for a photography/matte board cutting/background holding, table, or doing another Henry Wood chapter. On the drive home from the lumber yard, the Henry Wood ideas were too strong to ignore, so I wrote another chapter. I think it is better than a post about buying 4×4's. Hopefully I will have a more interesting woodworking post tomorrow.

Brian

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-7-voices/


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Time and Again Ch 7 Voices*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I bought some wood for the legs on my next project. I was torn between writing about my ideas for a photography/matte board cutting/background holding, table, or doing another Henry Wood chapter. On the drive home from the lumber yard, the Henry Wood ideas were too strong to ignore, so I wrote another chapter. I think it is better than a post about buying 4×4's. Hopefully I will have a more interesting woodworking post tomorrow.
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-7-voices/


 Brian
looking forward to the next one
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Ch 9*

Hello All,

It was a long day at work today. I went in early and now I am exhausted. But I did keep my blogging streak alive by writing Ch 9 Second Wind. I hope those who follow HW, enjoy it.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-9-second-wind/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 9*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It was a long day at work today. I went in early and now I am exhausted. But I did keep my blogging streak alive by writing Ch 9 Second Wind. I hope those who follow HW, enjoy it.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-9-second-wind/
> 
> Brian


 thank´s Brian 
but did I miss one little detail….....Ch. 8

take care
Dennis


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 9*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> It was a long day at work today. I went in early and now I am exhausted. But I did keep my blogging streak alive by writing Ch 9 Second Wind. I hope those who follow HW, enjoy it.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-9-second-wind/
> 
> Brian


Yeah. Chapter 8. Whose voice was it on the phone ?


----------



## Ecocandle

*So little time...*

Hello All,

I really miss spending hours upon hours in my shop, but alas, I am super busy these days. I do find a little bit of time to continue building the latest Henry Wood story. As many of you have pointed out, there are lots and lots of spelling errors. I always appreciate the help. I would also like to apologize for each chapter's lack of polish. I have little time, and find myself rushed to get the post up by 10:00. Tonight I failed in that regard, by almost 40 minutes. I apologize for this too.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-10-first-impressions/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *So little time...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I really miss spending hours upon hours in my shop, but alas, I am super busy these days. I do find a little bit of time to continue building the latest Henry Wood story. As many of you have pointed out, there are lots and lots of spelling errors. I always appreciate the help. I would also like to apologize for each chapter's lack of polish. I have little time, and find myself rushed to get the post up by 10:00. Tonight I failed in that regard, by almost 40 minutes. I apologize for this too.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-10-first-impressions/
> 
> Brian


now you are running but don´t take the wrong road to the island

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *So little time...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I really miss spending hours upon hours in my shop, but alas, I am super busy these days. I do find a little bit of time to continue building the latest Henry Wood story. As many of you have pointed out, there are lots and lots of spelling errors. I always appreciate the help. I would also like to apologize for each chapter's lack of polish. I have little time, and find myself rushed to get the post up by 10:00. Tonight I failed in that regard, by almost 40 minutes. I apologize for this too.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-10-first-impressions/
> 
> Brian


That is good advice indeed.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Chapter 11*

Hello All,

Thaks for the kind words on yesterday's post. I hope you who are following Henry's latest adventure, will enjoy today's too.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-11-patience-and-fortitude/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Chapter 11*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Thaks for the kind words on yesterday's post. I hope you who are following Henry's latest adventure, will enjoy today's too.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-11-patience-and-fortitude/
> 
> Brian


it has never been easy with library´s too much infomation in one place 

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Ch 12*

Hello,

I took a little bit longer than usual, to write tonight's Henry Wood chapter. Sorry for the delay.

http://bit.ly/eKOiZR

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 12*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I took a little bit longer than usual, to write tonight's Henry Wood chapter. Sorry for the delay.
> 
> http://bit.ly/eKOiZR
> 
> Brian


good little chapter Brian

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Ch 13, 14 and 15*

Hello all,

I am really tired. I don't know how I forgot to let my friends on LJ know that I had put up Chapter 13, but it looks like I forgot 14 too. I have also written 15 tonight. I seem to have little time these days. But I have so much of the Henry Wood story banging around my head, I am still able to write. I hope you enjoy.

13: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-13-the-job/
14: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-14-faded-away/
15: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-15-the-courtesy/
Sorry for the blunder.

Sincerely,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Ch 13, 14 and 15*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> I am really tired. I don't know how I forgot to let my friends on LJ know that I had put up Chapter 13, but it looks like I forgot 14 too. I have also written 15 tonight. I seem to have little time these days. But I have so much of the Henry Wood story banging around my head, I am still able to write. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> 13: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-13-the-job/
> 14: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-14-faded-away/
> 15: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-15-the-courtesy/
> Sorry for the blunder.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


oops…tonight I had a spelling error in the TITLE of all places….ugh.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Ch 13, 14 and 15*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> I am really tired. I don't know how I forgot to let my friends on LJ know that I had put up Chapter 13, but it looks like I forgot 14 too. I have also written 15 tonight. I seem to have little time these days. But I have so much of the Henry Wood story banging around my head, I am still able to write. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> 13: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-13-the-job/
> 14: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-14-faded-away/
> 15: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-15-the-courtesy/
> Sorry for the blunder.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


thank´s that was a long breake to catch up with you and Henry 
but maybee the two kop of coffee is what needed tonight

have a great weekend Brian
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*More Henry Wood Chapter*

Hello Everyone,

I haven't done much of late, besides work, and writing. There are 4 more chapters of the latest Henry Wood.

Ch 16: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/father-patrick/

Ch 17: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-17/

Ch 18: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-18-the-siena/

Ch 19: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-19-cleared-head/

Ch 20: http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-20-first-item/

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*The latest chapter is ready...*

Hello All,

Here is the latest Henry Wood Chapter, I do hope it is enjoyable.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-21-condolences/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *The latest chapter is ready...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Here is the latest Henry Wood Chapter, I do hope it is enjoyable.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-21-condolences/
> 
> Brian


hey slow down a bit and start making dust with a stick and some local sandpaper and a foldingknife
its hard time to follow you when you are running 
oh boy I´m exhausted now from making all that coffee to six chapters in a row

one thing curios me where is yard 136 in DK…..LOL
thank´s for the breaks Brian…liked them
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Merry Christmas All*

Hello All,

I hope everyone is enjoying the day. It was a pretty good year. I discovered two new loves, woodworking and writing. The encouragement from everyone at Lumberjocks has made all the difference. Teh last few weeks have been chaotic, and I have done a terrible job of posting here. For that I am sorry.

I haven't had any time for woodworking, as I have been working every day, but I have still been doing some writing, each night before I hit the sack. I think the last chapter I posted was 21, which must have been 9 days ago, as I have written 9 more since then, I hope you will enjoy them. Now I better get back to writing, so I will have something to post tonight.

http://ExtremelyAverage.com


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Merry Christmas All*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I hope everyone is enjoying the day. It was a pretty good year. I discovered two new loves, woodworking and writing. The encouragement from everyone at Lumberjocks has made all the difference. Teh last few weeks have been chaotic, and I have done a terrible job of posting here. For that I am sorry.
> 
> I haven't had any time for woodworking, as I have been working every day, but I have still been doing some writing, each night before I hit the sack. I think the last chapter I posted was 21, which must have been 9 days ago, as I have written 9 more since then, I hope you will enjoy them. Now I better get back to writing, so I will have something to post tonight.
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


merry Chrismas to you too Brian 

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Merry Christmas All*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I hope everyone is enjoying the day. It was a pretty good year. I discovered two new loves, woodworking and writing. The encouragement from everyone at Lumberjocks has made all the difference. Teh last few weeks have been chaotic, and I have done a terrible job of posting here. For that I am sorry.
> 
> I haven't had any time for woodworking, as I have been working every day, but I have still been doing some writing, each night before I hit the sack. I think the last chapter I posted was 21, which must have been 9 days ago, as I have written 9 more since then, I hope you will enjoy them. Now I better get back to writing, so I will have something to post tonight.
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


Thanks Dennis.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Merry Christmas All*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I hope everyone is enjoying the day. It was a pretty good year. I discovered two new loves, woodworking and writing. The encouragement from everyone at Lumberjocks has made all the difference. Teh last few weeks have been chaotic, and I have done a terrible job of posting here. For that I am sorry.
> 
> I haven't had any time for woodworking, as I have been working every day, but I have still been doing some writing, each night before I hit the sack. I think the last chapter I posted was 21, which must have been 9 days ago, as I have written 9 more since then, I hope you will enjoy them. Now I better get back to writing, so I will have something to post tonight.
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


Season's greetings.
Hoping that "work thing" does get in your way of writing and woodworking too much in 2011 !


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Merry Christmas All*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I hope everyone is enjoying the day. It was a pretty good year. I discovered two new loves, woodworking and writing. The encouragement from everyone at Lumberjocks has made all the difference. Teh last few weeks have been chaotic, and I have done a terrible job of posting here. For that I am sorry.
> 
> I haven't had any time for woodworking, as I have been working every day, but I have still been doing some writing, each night before I hit the sack. I think the last chapter I posted was 21, which must have been 9 days ago, as I have written 9 more since then, I hope you will enjoy them. Now I better get back to writing, so I will have something to post tonight.
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


I meant to say "does not".
This keyboard of mine. ALL those keys to hit in right order and can only use 2 fingers ?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Merry Christmas All*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I hope everyone is enjoying the day. It was a pretty good year. I discovered two new loves, woodworking and writing. The encouragement from everyone at Lumberjocks has made all the difference. Teh last few weeks have been chaotic, and I have done a terrible job of posting here. For that I am sorry.
> 
> I haven't had any time for woodworking, as I have been working every day, but I have still been doing some writing, each night before I hit the sack. I think the last chapter I posted was 21, which must have been 9 days ago, as I have written 9 more since then, I hope you will enjoy them. Now I better get back to writing, so I will have something to post tonight.
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


Thanks Canadianchips. The biggest difference between my current work and the stuff I did from home, is the commute. It is quite a drive and that 2.5 hours I lose per day, was sort of my woodworking time. I am able to find the time to write though, even if doing woodworking and writing seems to have slowed.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Another Chapter*

Hello All,

I didn't post last night, because I wrote a 'I have a terrible cold' adeled post about a goat. It was not at all about woodworking or Henry Wood, so I posted it and went to bed.

Today, I had hoped to do some woodworking, but I was still recovering. It was an off day from work, so I did bang out another 1100 words of Henry Wood. I hope you enjoy.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2010/12/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-33-back-at-the-office/

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*A Great Year...Thanks*

Hello Everyone,

On Jan 2 of this year, I started blogging. I posted on blogger and here. Because of the wonderful encouragement everyone gave me, I continued woodworking and blogging. Now I can cut dovetails by hand, and they look fair. I am able to make tiny boxes. I am also not afraid to try more and more difficult projects. I also descovered a second love. Of course, I mean that sexy babe writing.

I haven't been doing as much woodworking the last month, mostly because I picked up a lot of holiday hours, and just didn't have time to make sawdust and write. So I have been working on my 2nd novel, Henry Wood: Time and Again. There are 34 chapters up now, totally around 36,000 words. I only need 14,000 more to reach the 50K novel plateau, but I will likely write 30-40 more, as the story is a long ways from setteled. I hope, those who follow it, are enjoying the tale.

Tonight, I wrote a year in review piece, which is much like what I just wrote above, though with a bunch more silliness.

http://su.pr/1aca1y

Thanks Everyone,

Brian


----------



## a1Jim

Ecocandle said:


> *A Great Year...Thanks*
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> On Jan 2 of this year, I started blogging. I posted on blogger and here. Because of the wonderful encouragement everyone gave me, I continued woodworking and blogging. Now I can cut dovetails by hand, and they look fair. I am able to make tiny boxes. I am also not afraid to try more and more difficult projects. I also descovered a second love. Of course, I mean that sexy babe writing.
> 
> I haven't been doing as much woodworking the last month, mostly because I picked up a lot of holiday hours, and just didn't have time to make sawdust and write. So I have been working on my 2nd novel, Henry Wood: Time and Again. There are 34 chapters up now, totally around 36,000 words. I only need 14,000 more to reach the 50K novel plateau, but I will likely write 30-40 more, as the story is a long ways from setteled. I hope, those who follow it, are enjoying the tale.
> 
> Tonight, I wrote a year in review piece, which is much like what I just wrote above, though with a bunch more silliness.
> 
> http://su.pr/1aca1y
> 
> Thanks Everyone,
> 
> Brian


Good luck with the novel and congrats on your up coming year anniversary.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *A Great Year...Thanks*
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> On Jan 2 of this year, I started blogging. I posted on blogger and here. Because of the wonderful encouragement everyone gave me, I continued woodworking and blogging. Now I can cut dovetails by hand, and they look fair. I am able to make tiny boxes. I am also not afraid to try more and more difficult projects. I also descovered a second love. Of course, I mean that sexy babe writing.
> 
> I haven't been doing as much woodworking the last month, mostly because I picked up a lot of holiday hours, and just didn't have time to make sawdust and write. So I have been working on my 2nd novel, Henry Wood: Time and Again. There are 34 chapters up now, totally around 36,000 words. I only need 14,000 more to reach the 50K novel plateau, but I will likely write 30-40 more, as the story is a long ways from setteled. I hope, those who follow it, are enjoying the tale.
> 
> Tonight, I wrote a year in review piece, which is much like what I just wrote above, though with a bunch more silliness.
> 
> http://su.pr/1aca1y
> 
> Thanks Everyone,
> 
> Brian


Congrats on your upcoming first year. When you tools started talking, that is what first caught my attention, I enjoy it. Looking forward to the rest of the planes having their own stories this year. 
Happy New Year.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *A Great Year...Thanks*
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> On Jan 2 of this year, I started blogging. I posted on blogger and here. Because of the wonderful encouragement everyone gave me, I continued woodworking and blogging. Now I can cut dovetails by hand, and they look fair. I am able to make tiny boxes. I am also not afraid to try more and more difficult projects. I also descovered a second love. Of course, I mean that sexy babe writing.
> 
> I haven't been doing as much woodworking the last month, mostly because I picked up a lot of holiday hours, and just didn't have time to make sawdust and write. So I have been working on my 2nd novel, Henry Wood: Time and Again. There are 34 chapters up now, totally around 36,000 words. I only need 14,000 more to reach the 50K novel plateau, but I will likely write 30-40 more, as the story is a long ways from setteled. I hope, those who follow it, are enjoying the tale.
> 
> Tonight, I wrote a year in review piece, which is much like what I just wrote above, though with a bunch more silliness.
> 
> http://su.pr/1aca1y
> 
> Thanks Everyone,
> 
> Brian


Happy new-year Brian 
and congrat´s with the first nearly gone thank you for the fight in the old one (as we say in Denmark)
looking forward to read both about your progress in woodworking and the Henry Wood world 

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*I did it!*

Hello All,

I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.

Thanks,

Brian

http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


I know whats wrong with Henry , he forgot to buy the Danish pastry… 
congrat´s with the 1.st L J B-day Brian

take care
Dennis


----------



## lew

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


Happy LJ Day, Brian!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


Now that I am one year old in LJ years, I have no more excuses. I best start making some cool stuff!!! Thanks for the well wishes.


----------



## EEngineer

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


I best start making some cool stuff!!!

Well, why? You must be doing pretty well just blogging. What is your advertising revenue?

Sad thing is, you write… poorly:

Henry wondered down to his shop. wandered

He picked up two dozen, several types of cream cheese, some locks. lox

He couldn't have solved the last case without the closets help. closet's

I've been following your stuff for a while; please quit abusing the English language!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


EEengineer,

I have made around $32.00.

Those are great finds. Thanks. I have fixed them.

I would love to stop abusing the English language, but alas, I am not able to do so. It isn't intentional. Much like woodworking, I do as well as I am able, and keep trying to get better.

I realize your comment was intended to be mean and offensive. But alas, the errors you found were correct, and I like to fix them, when people point out the errors.

Feel free to continue to point out errors using any abusive language which makes you feel good about yourself. I don't mind at all.

Thanks again,

Brian


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


I'm glad you aren't worried about it. I think that when you do have an error, it just stands out more because it is in good writing. When you self-proofread and need to turn material out quickly, these things can be tough to find. I've noticed I pick up most of my errors if I can come back to my writing a day or so later with fresh eyes. A daily blog doesn't really allow for it.

Keep up the good work. I read the occasional Henry Wood, but have never been a big reader of that genre. I ALWAYS check out the woodworking posts though. Happy new year!


----------



## patron

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


*happy anniversary !*


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


Thanks for the kind words HokieMojo.  I will try to get more woodworking posts done for you. I am thinking about building a table for cutting matte board. I may work on it today.


----------



## SCOTSMAN

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


I like your work very enjoyable don't be put off by your lessers.Alistair


----------



## EEngineer

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


Lessers wouldn't find his mistakes, would they?


----------



## LeeJ

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


Hi Brian;

I just visited your blog…very nice in spite of the occassional errors. (which I hadn't noticed). I must be one of those lessers.

Whenever I look at my own website I cringe at the mistakes I made while writing it. In my defense, I generally write in the wee hours, and am usually in a bit of a hurry.

So, like you, I fix them as I find them…sometimes. With the site at around 400 pages, loading up the site and then publishing it after making a few corrections, can take some time.

Anyway, nice job.

Lee


----------



## EEngineer

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


Well, hell, Lee, you seem proud of it! Next time you go to get a medical checkup, make sure you ask for a lesser.


----------



## LeeJ

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


Nope, not proud of those mistakes. But not going to beat myself up too much about them.

There are a few things I'm very good at. (and I make mistakes at them too, but I fix 'em before anyone else sees 'em).

Lee


----------



## EEngineer

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


Same here! But I strive for perfection.

Let's take what I consider the most grievous error:
Locks…. lox

You know here this error most likely came from? He heard the term; never read the term. Having heard the term, he thought to lend his writing some authenticity by using it. Having no idea what the term meant, he included it in his writing. Did you not wonder, sir, why in the hell would anyone put "locks" on their bagels? With no desire to find out what it really meant?


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


EEngineer,

I would think that someone, who is an engineer, wouldn't make assumptions. I have had lox before, they are fair. I chose the word because it has a New York feel and I like the sound of it. I made a mistake, that is all. I am sorry you assumed so much about me from such an error. To set the record straight, I simply type up my chapters too quickly and didn't do a good job of proof reading. I will work on that.

I am sure you are deriving great pleasure from being mean and petty. It is these qualities of yours, which have caused other people to assume you are a 'lesser' person. I do not make the same assumption. I don't know if you are sad and pathetic, mean and petty, angry and bitter, or just unloved by your parents. You might be a decent person. You might be kind and generous, you might be witty and gregarious, and you might be the life of the party. I couldn't say.

If you wish to present yourself as an arrogant, angry and bitter person, then that is your right. I will continue to work on improving my spelling and proof reading. I don't care to make a suggestion for what you might like to work on.

Brian


----------



## HerbC

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


Brian,

When I first joined LJ I found your blog and read it from the beginning in sequence. Then something (Life?) distracted me and I quit following it regularly and therefore had missed this dustup.

Here's my initial reaction to the exchange and to your latest/last post:

ZING

Perfect shot.

And BTW, there's a damn good reason to put LOCKS on BAGELS:

To keep the bagelburgler away!

Good luck with the book and remember…

Be Careful!

Herb


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


HerbC,

LOL…I enjoyed your response. I have been away from the fun that is woodworking for a long while. This time last year I decided to get serious about publishing Henry Wood Detective Agency and have been completely taken in by writing.

I miss woodworking.

I have published the 1st Henry Wood, which is available on Kindle, Nook, and in print. The 2nd and 3rd novels in the series have been written, and the 4th is at around 70K words and nearing the end. I've also undertaken writing a biography of a Big Ten basketball player. The writing has sucked up all my creative juices and left nothing for the woodworking shop.

I still read an occasional magazine and dream of the day I am caught up on all my projects, but that may be a ways off. It seems I've developed such a passion for the word that it has become all consuming.

If you are interested…here is the Kindle link: http://www.amazon.com/Henry-Wood-Detective-Agency-ebook/dp/B005ED65AM/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&linkCode=wey&tag=extreavera-20

When the day comes that I start making tiny boxes again, I'll definitely pop back in and tell my tale.

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I did it!*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just posted chapter 35 Henry Wood. I wrote a blog piece every day of the last year. In truth, because of guest blogging, I actually wrote around 380 posts, but the point is, I didn't take a day off! I couldn't have made it without all of your kind words.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-35-moments-in-time/


wondered what you have been doing this year … now we know 

thanks for the update and Merry Christmas to you

Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood Ch 36*

Hello All,

I appreciate the comments and feedback. Even the mean and nasty ones, like the one I received an hour or so ago on yesterday's post. I don't mind mean and nasty, if the person is also including accurate corrections, which he did. He did ask that I "please quit abusing the English language!" I guess it isn't that nasty, because he did say please. I am not sure if the exclamation point was necessary though. It is hard to say.

But it does seem reasonable to again offer my apologies to anyone who is offended by my frequent spelling and grammar errors. I can't promise that I won't make many more errors, but I am constantly trying to get better. When word press indicates I have spelled something incorrectly, I don't just right click and fix it. I try to figure out the correct spelling. Alas, word press can't catch things like using "wondered instead of wandered".

So again, I am sorry for the quality. I hope the story is at least entertaining, warts and all.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-36-mikes-call/

Sincerely,

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 36*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I appreciate the comments and feedback. Even the mean and nasty ones, like the one I received an hour or so ago on yesterday's post. I don't mind mean and nasty, if the person is also including accurate corrections, which he did. He did ask that I "please quit abusing the English language!" I guess it isn't that nasty, because he did say please. I am not sure if the exclamation point was necessary though. It is hard to say.
> 
> But it does seem reasonable to again offer my apologies to anyone who is offended by my frequent spelling and grammar errors. I can't promise that I won't make many more errors, but I am constantly trying to get better. When word press indicates I have spelled something incorrectly, I don't just right click and fix it. I try to figure out the correct spelling. Alas, word press can't catch things like using "wondered instead of wandered".
> 
> So again, I am sorry for the quality. I hope the story is at least entertaining, warts and all.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-36-mikes-call/
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


For those of us who don't have the patience to deal with 36 chapters of Henry Wood, perhaps you could write a short story to help you and us discern whether you really are a fiction writer. Maybe something akin to Hemingway's, "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place"?

http://www.mrbauld.com/hemclean.html

The main difference I think would be the amount of forethought required and attention to detail. Like carving dove-tails was for you, maybe it would be a nice exercise? I think it is unfair to expect yourself to be able to produce quality writing on a day-to-day basis. Wouldn't it be nice to produce something meaningful for all of the time you're investing? I would be willing to volunteer my effort as a critic, if you would like thoughtful criticism. I think excellence comes through rewriting and rewriting. The idea of having numerous spelling errors ought to be a silly notion.

Bill


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 36*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I appreciate the comments and feedback. Even the mean and nasty ones, like the one I received an hour or so ago on yesterday's post. I don't mind mean and nasty, if the person is also including accurate corrections, which he did. He did ask that I "please quit abusing the English language!" I guess it isn't that nasty, because he did say please. I am not sure if the exclamation point was necessary though. It is hard to say.
> 
> But it does seem reasonable to again offer my apologies to anyone who is offended by my frequent spelling and grammar errors. I can't promise that I won't make many more errors, but I am constantly trying to get better. When word press indicates I have spelled something incorrectly, I don't just right click and fix it. I try to figure out the correct spelling. Alas, word press can't catch things like using "wondered instead of wandered".
> 
> So again, I am sorry for the quality. I hope the story is at least entertaining, warts and all.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-36-mikes-call/
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


just ceep up with the entertainment Brian 
the way you write the Henry Wood most of the time (light and easy)
it doesn´t matter so much unless if its a word that make the point
or change the hole meening of the sentence (hope i got this right) ....LOL

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 36*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I appreciate the comments and feedback. Even the mean and nasty ones, like the one I received an hour or so ago on yesterday's post. I don't mind mean and nasty, if the person is also including accurate corrections, which he did. He did ask that I "please quit abusing the English language!" I guess it isn't that nasty, because he did say please. I am not sure if the exclamation point was necessary though. It is hard to say.
> 
> But it does seem reasonable to again offer my apologies to anyone who is offended by my frequent spelling and grammar errors. I can't promise that I won't make many more errors, but I am constantly trying to get better. When word press indicates I have spelled something incorrectly, I don't just right click and fix it. I try to figure out the correct spelling. Alas, word press can't catch things like using "wondered instead of wandered".
> 
> So again, I am sorry for the quality. I hope the story is at least entertaining, warts and all.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-36-mikes-call/
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


Bill,

I am constantly writing short stories. I just haven't shared them with you, but I think you make a good point. I may put some of them up as well. It is a really good idea.

You may also be right about rewriting and rewriting. I haven't done much of this, but on the occasion where I have, the result has usually been positive.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 36*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I appreciate the comments and feedback. Even the mean and nasty ones, like the one I received an hour or so ago on yesterday's post. I don't mind mean and nasty, if the person is also including accurate corrections, which he did. He did ask that I "please quit abusing the English language!" I guess it isn't that nasty, because he did say please. I am not sure if the exclamation point was necessary though. It is hard to say.
> 
> But it does seem reasonable to again offer my apologies to anyone who is offended by my frequent spelling and grammar errors. I can't promise that I won't make many more errors, but I am constantly trying to get better. When word press indicates I have spelled something incorrectly, I don't just right click and fix it. I try to figure out the correct spelling. Alas, word press can't catch things like using "wondered instead of wandered".
> 
> So again, I am sorry for the quality. I hope the story is at least entertaining, warts and all.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-36-mikes-call/
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


I'm reminded of an old Yogi Berra-sm: "Good enough is seldom good enough." I think that real learning occurs when one works hard to do better. I think Brain could "ceep up with the entertainment" for years-but at what cost? This message is not directed at Brian or Dennis, but rather to anyone who might allow thin skin to lull them into a state of complacency. Woodworking is all about producing excellence with wood, no? Maybe "wordworking" is about producing excellence with words. Have fun!

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 36*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I appreciate the comments and feedback. Even the mean and nasty ones, like the one I received an hour or so ago on yesterday's post. I don't mind mean and nasty, if the person is also including accurate corrections, which he did. He did ask that I "please quit abusing the English language!" I guess it isn't that nasty, because he did say please. I am not sure if the exclamation point was necessary though. It is hard to say.
> 
> But it does seem reasonable to again offer my apologies to anyone who is offended by my frequent spelling and grammar errors. I can't promise that I won't make many more errors, but I am constantly trying to get better. When word press indicates I have spelled something incorrectly, I don't just right click and fix it. I try to figure out the correct spelling. Alas, word press can't catch things like using "wondered instead of wandered".
> 
> So again, I am sorry for the quality. I hope the story is at least entertaining, warts and all.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-36-mikes-call/
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


Bill,

I am, at my core, obsessive about learning. I love it. I really like your new word Wordworking: The act of working with words, usually by a wordsmith, often in a pretentious coffee house.

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 36*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I appreciate the comments and feedback. Even the mean and nasty ones, like the one I received an hour or so ago on yesterday's post. I don't mind mean and nasty, if the person is also including accurate corrections, which he did. He did ask that I "please quit abusing the English language!" I guess it isn't that nasty, because he did say please. I am not sure if the exclamation point was necessary though. It is hard to say.
> 
> But it does seem reasonable to again offer my apologies to anyone who is offended by my frequent spelling and grammar errors. I can't promise that I won't make many more errors, but I am constantly trying to get better. When word press indicates I have spelled something incorrectly, I don't just right click and fix it. I try to figure out the correct spelling. Alas, word press can't catch things like using "wondered instead of wandered".
> 
> So again, I am sorry for the quality. I hope the story is at least entertaining, warts and all.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-36-mikes-call/
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


: ) It took me a few minutes to identify your allusion-and I like that.

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood Ch 36*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I appreciate the comments and feedback. Even the mean and nasty ones, like the one I received an hour or so ago on yesterday's post. I don't mind mean and nasty, if the person is also including accurate corrections, which he did. He did ask that I "please quit abusing the English language!" I guess it isn't that nasty, because he did say please. I am not sure if the exclamation point was necessary though. It is hard to say.
> 
> But it does seem reasonable to again offer my apologies to anyone who is offended by my frequent spelling and grammar errors. I can't promise that I won't make many more errors, but I am constantly trying to get better. When word press indicates I have spelled something incorrectly, I don't just right click and fix it. I try to figure out the correct spelling. Alas, word press can't catch things like using "wondered instead of wandered".
> 
> So again, I am sorry for the quality. I hope the story is at least entertaining, warts and all.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-36-mikes-call/
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian


Though I don't often write in coffee houses, my hat, sure makes it look like I should be. I don't actually care for coffee. I wish there were pretentious Diet Mountain Dew houses. That would be great!


----------



## Ecocandle

*Ch 37*

Hello All,

Another Henry Wood, for Dennis, Bill, Canadianchips, and anyone else who is following the adventure (yes even Shirley too. ). Now I think I am going to make a master copy of all the chapters thus far, and start trying a bit of rewriting. It couldn't hurt. I might learn a thing or two. 

Brian

http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-37-the-captain/


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Ch 37*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Another Henry Wood, for Dennis, Bill, Canadianchips, and anyone else who is following the adventure (yes even Shirley too. ). Now I think I am going to make a master copy of all the chapters thus far, and start trying a bit of rewriting. It couldn't hurt. I might learn a thing or two.
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-37-the-captain/


thank´s just the right length for my second mug of morning-coffee 

have a great day Brian

Dennis


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *Ch 37*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Another Henry Wood, for Dennis, Bill, Canadianchips, and anyone else who is following the adventure (yes even Shirley too. ). Now I think I am going to make a master copy of all the chapters thus far, and start trying a bit of rewriting. It couldn't hurt. I might learn a thing or two.
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-37-the-captain/


Brian; You have droped in a lot of threads. Will Henry pull the right one or get tangled in the wrong one? I will have to keep checking in at Extremely Average to find out. I like lots of words, but are you making a lot of work for that special editor of yours. AKA-MOM.
I don't recal. Has a tool been named Mickey Yet?

Keep up the good work. Nils


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Ch 37*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Another Henry Wood, for Dennis, Bill, Canadianchips, and anyone else who is following the adventure (yes even Shirley too. ). Now I think I am going to make a master copy of all the chapters thus far, and start trying a bit of rewriting. It couldn't hurt. I might learn a thing or two.
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-37-the-captain/


Oluf,

I loved your comment, especially the part about making work for Mom. Yes, she has mentione that. But she is enjoying the story too, so it is sort of a mother-son project, which she likes. As do I. I haven't named a tool Mickey yet, but now that you mention it, I really should.

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*I am reading a really good book...*

Hello All,

Spike Carlsen, 'A Splintered Hisotry of Wood', is a delight. I am only two chapters into the book, but I became so excited about the stories, I had to write the review. I have decided to write the review in parts, because, well, I can.

If you have a mild interest in wood or woodworking, this book will be one of the best you read all year. Or I should say, the first two chapters will be. If you love woodworking, this will send you into a state of giddiness. That isn't even my review. It is here…

http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/splintered-history-of-wood-review-pt-1/

Brian


----------



## FatherHooligan

Ecocandle said:


> *I am reading a really good book...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Spike Carlsen, 'A Splintered Hisotry of Wood', is a delight. I am only two chapters into the book, but I became so excited about the stories, I had to write the review. I have decided to write the review in parts, because, well, I can.
> 
> If you have a mild interest in wood or woodworking, this book will be one of the best you read all year. Or I should say, the first two chapters will be. If you love woodworking, this will send you into a state of giddiness. That isn't even my review. It is here…
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/splintered-history-of-wood-review-pt-1/
> 
> Brian


I'll have to see if the library can bring it in, sounds interesting.


----------



## JonSokol

Ecocandle said:


> *I am reading a really good book...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Spike Carlsen, 'A Splintered Hisotry of Wood', is a delight. I am only two chapters into the book, but I became so excited about the stories, I had to write the review. I have decided to write the review in parts, because, well, I can.
> 
> If you have a mild interest in wood or woodworking, this book will be one of the best you read all year. Or I should say, the first two chapters will be. If you love woodworking, this will send you into a state of giddiness. That isn't even my review. It is here…
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/splintered-history-of-wood-review-pt-1/
> 
> Brian


I just picked it up as well. It's next in the queue.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I am reading a really good book...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Spike Carlsen, 'A Splintered Hisotry of Wood', is a delight. I am only two chapters into the book, but I became so excited about the stories, I had to write the review. I have decided to write the review in parts, because, well, I can.
> 
> If you have a mild interest in wood or woodworking, this book will be one of the best you read all year. Or I should say, the first two chapters will be. If you love woodworking, this will send you into a state of giddiness. That isn't even my review. It is here…
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/splintered-history-of-wood-review-pt-1/
> 
> Brian


I am glad. I hope you will let me know how you like it. I haven't finished yet, but at the half way point, it is delightful.


----------



## Ecocandle

*Unhappy Tools*

Hello All,

As many of you know, I have been spending very little time in the shop of late. Tonight I got back down there and found my tools were very upset with me. I was even bitten by my belt sander. But by the end, we were all friends again.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/unhappy-tools/

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Unhappy Tools*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> As many of you know, I have been spending very little time in the shop of late. Tonight I got back down there and found my tools were very upset with me. I was even bitten by my belt sander. But by the end, we were all friends again.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/01/unhappy-tools/
> 
> Brian


maybee you and the tools are freinds again 
but are you sure that you and the wood is freinds
are you sure you hadn´t stroked it against the grain direction or something like that

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Just an update...*

Hello all,

I did some cleaning of the shop tonight. Nothing worth writing about though. I have still been adding chapters to Henry Wood. I just realized that I have been neglecting the LJ folks. I am sorry about that. There are seven or eight more chapters up now. I just posted ch 45, and I think the last one I told you about was 37. If you click on the Henry Wood heading at the top, they are all grouped together. It is pretty close to 50,000 words now, so this one is offically a novel. Thanks to everyone who has been encouraging my writing. It has made it easier to reach my goal.

http://extremelyaverage.com

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Just an update...*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> I did some cleaning of the shop tonight. Nothing worth writing about though. I have still been adding chapters to Henry Wood. I just realized that I have been neglecting the LJ folks. I am sorry about that. There are seven or eight more chapters up now. I just posted ch 45, and I think the last one I told you about was 37. If you click on the Henry Wood heading at the top, they are all grouped together. It is pretty close to 50,000 words now, so this one is offically a novel. Thanks to everyone who has been encouraging my writing. It has made it easier to reach my goal.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com
> 
> Brian


thank´s Brian 
but more than a few chapters at a time is hart ….pheeew ….well glad I brought 
exstra coffee home yesterday….LOL

take care
Dennis


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Just an update...*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> I did some cleaning of the shop tonight. Nothing worth writing about though. I have still been adding chapters to Henry Wood. I just realized that I have been neglecting the LJ folks. I am sorry about that. There are seven or eight more chapters up now. I just posted ch 45, and I think the last one I told you about was 37. If you click on the Henry Wood heading at the top, they are all grouped together. It is pretty close to 50,000 words now, so this one is offically a novel. Thanks to everyone who has been encouraging my writing. It has made it easier to reach my goal.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com
> 
> Brian


Gosh are you That busy???

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Just an update...*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> I did some cleaning of the shop tonight. Nothing worth writing about though. I have still been adding chapters to Henry Wood. I just realized that I have been neglecting the LJ folks. I am sorry about that. There are seven or eight more chapters up now. I just posted ch 45, and I think the last one I told you about was 37. If you click on the Henry Wood heading at the top, they are all grouped together. It is pretty close to 50,000 words now, so this one is offically a novel. Thanks to everyone who has been encouraging my writing. It has made it easier to reach my goal.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com
> 
> Brian


I have a lot going on, which I don't really blog about. It isn't very interesting, but time consuming. I am actually writing several other things, rewriting another, and not to mention, working a bunch. Oh wait, I just mentioned it.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Just an update...*
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> I did some cleaning of the shop tonight. Nothing worth writing about though. I have still been adding chapters to Henry Wood. I just realized that I have been neglecting the LJ folks. I am sorry about that. There are seven or eight more chapters up now. I just posted ch 45, and I think the last one I told you about was 37. If you click on the Henry Wood heading at the top, they are all grouped together. It is pretty close to 50,000 words now, so this one is offically a novel. Thanks to everyone who has been encouraging my writing. It has made it easier to reach my goal.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com
> 
> Brian


Well, I'm glad to hear all is well. Was starting to wonder what happened to you. I punctuate my work with visits here and a few places that are similar.

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

*I have done a terrible job...*

Hello All,

I have been writing a lot, but have done a terrible job of updating LJ. I haven't done much on woodworking though, so I haven't been around. The Henry Wood is coming along, in fact, I just posted chapter 64. So that means there are about 19 more chapters, if you haven't been checking my site daily. I believe the last one was 45.

I think most people from LJ who have been reading Henry Wood, do stop in daily, so I haven't felt like clogging up the blog posts with my daily links.

I do appreciate everyone's support and encouragement, as it has made writing fun. The novel is nearly done and when it is, I will do a rewrite and polish it up a bit. I have also decided to rewrite the 1st Henry Wood, add another 18K words, fill it out some, and get move it from novella to novel.

Thanks again for reading my drivel,

Brian

http://ExtremelyAverage.com


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I have done a terrible job...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have been writing a lot, but have done a terrible job of updating LJ. I haven't done much on woodworking though, so I haven't been around. The Henry Wood is coming along, in fact, I just posted chapter 64. So that means there are about 19 more chapters, if you haven't been checking my site daily. I believe the last one was 45.
> 
> I think most people from LJ who have been reading Henry Wood, do stop in daily, so I haven't felt like clogging up the blog posts with my daily links.
> 
> I do appreciate everyone's support and encouragement, as it has made writing fun. The novel is nearly done and when it is, I will do a rewrite and polish it up a bit. I have also decided to rewrite the 1st Henry Wood, add another 18K words, fill it out some, and get move it from novella to novel.
> 
> Thanks again for reading my drivel,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


I don´t go to your site on daily Basis , I thought you was cought up with rewrite ,reorder Henry wood
and busy with other stuff and last night I wondered about if you were sick or something since we didn´t
hear anything from you at all …......19 chapters …yyyeaarks it will take me a week to catch up :-(

well I better make me some exstra strong Coffee then….glad you are alright

take care
Dennis


----------



## billb

Ecocandle said:


> *I have done a terrible job...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have been writing a lot, but have done a terrible job of updating LJ. I haven't done much on woodworking though, so I haven't been around. The Henry Wood is coming along, in fact, I just posted chapter 64. So that means there are about 19 more chapters, if you haven't been checking my site daily. I believe the last one was 45.
> 
> I think most people from LJ who have been reading Henry Wood, do stop in daily, so I haven't felt like clogging up the blog posts with my daily links.
> 
> I do appreciate everyone's support and encouragement, as it has made writing fun. The novel is nearly done and when it is, I will do a rewrite and polish it up a bit. I have also decided to rewrite the 1st Henry Wood, add another 18K words, fill it out some, and get move it from novella to novel.
> 
> Thanks again for reading my drivel,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


Thanks Brian,

I have been keeping up and am really enjoying the story.

Bill


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I have done a terrible job...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have been writing a lot, but have done a terrible job of updating LJ. I haven't done much on woodworking though, so I haven't been around. The Henry Wood is coming along, in fact, I just posted chapter 64. So that means there are about 19 more chapters, if you haven't been checking my site daily. I believe the last one was 45.
> 
> I think most people from LJ who have been reading Henry Wood, do stop in daily, so I haven't felt like clogging up the blog posts with my daily links.
> 
> I do appreciate everyone's support and encouragement, as it has made writing fun. The novel is nearly done and when it is, I will do a rewrite and polish it up a bit. I have also decided to rewrite the 1st Henry Wood, add another 18K words, fill it out some, and get move it from novella to novel.
> 
> Thanks again for reading my drivel,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


finaly got thrugh them ….pheeew
you deffently have learned to ceep us catched to the screen with the story
but I do prefer 1-2 and even 3 chapters at a time 
just so it match a 5-10 minutbreak over a mug of coffee this time I had 
to have help from homebrewed hot choclate with wiped cream to top it 
and some Danish pastry and white bread with tasty deliciuses from the butcher 
to get thrugh it …..its too expencive with so many chapters in a row …..LOL

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *I have done a terrible job...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have been writing a lot, but have done a terrible job of updating LJ. I haven't done much on woodworking though, so I haven't been around. The Henry Wood is coming along, in fact, I just posted chapter 64. So that means there are about 19 more chapters, if you haven't been checking my site daily. I believe the last one was 45.
> 
> I think most people from LJ who have been reading Henry Wood, do stop in daily, so I haven't felt like clogging up the blog posts with my daily links.
> 
> I do appreciate everyone's support and encouragement, as it has made writing fun. The novel is nearly done and when it is, I will do a rewrite and polish it up a bit. I have also decided to rewrite the 1st Henry Wood, add another 18K words, fill it out some, and get move it from novella to novel.
> 
> Thanks again for reading my drivel,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


Dennis,

I am sorry for the excess snacking required. If you are so inclined, there is another chapter (ch 65) up. I don't know if you have seen that one yet. You will be relieved to know there are only a few more left before I will have it all wrapped up.

Then I will need to think about HW 3. 

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *I have done a terrible job...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have been writing a lot, but have done a terrible job of updating LJ. I haven't done much on woodworking though, so I haven't been around. The Henry Wood is coming along, in fact, I just posted chapter 64. So that means there are about 19 more chapters, if you haven't been checking my site daily. I believe the last one was 45.
> 
> I think most people from LJ who have been reading Henry Wood, do stop in daily, so I haven't felt like clogging up the blog posts with my daily links.
> 
> I do appreciate everyone's support and encouragement, as it has made writing fun. The novel is nearly done and when it is, I will do a rewrite and polish it up a bit. I have also decided to rewrite the 1st Henry Wood, add another 18K words, fill it out some, and get move it from novella to novel.
> 
> Thanks again for reading my drivel,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


thank´s Brian 
its just becourse we had the around 2 weekly fix of Henry wood before and they were nice breaks 
from all the tool and wood talk 
have a great day 

Dennis


----------



## donbee

Ecocandle said:


> *I have done a terrible job...*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have been writing a lot, but have done a terrible job of updating LJ. I haven't done much on woodworking though, so I haven't been around. The Henry Wood is coming along, in fact, I just posted chapter 64. So that means there are about 19 more chapters, if you haven't been checking my site daily. I believe the last one was 45.
> 
> I think most people from LJ who have been reading Henry Wood, do stop in daily, so I haven't felt like clogging up the blog posts with my daily links.
> 
> I do appreciate everyone's support and encouragement, as it has made writing fun. The novel is nearly done and when it is, I will do a rewrite and polish it up a bit. I have also decided to rewrite the 1st Henry Wood, add another 18K words, fill it out some, and get move it from novella to novel.
> 
> Thanks again for reading my drivel,
> 
> Brian
> 
> http://ExtremelyAverage.com


I must have come in late.
Attempting to find your works on Extremely average I found nothing.
I did find your name and profile, but none of the links worked.
All reported 404.


----------



## Ecocandle

*And the murderer is...*

Hello All,

I wrote ch 65 last night and tonight 66. Today's chapter reveals who the murderer is, but I am going to write one more chapter tomorrow. So it isn't quite done yet, but it is close.

Ch 65: http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-65/

Ch 66: http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-66/

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood: Time and Again 67 Epilogue*

Hello All,

I have finished my novel. http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-67-epilogue/

It is time to start thinking about Henry Wood 3: The Wrath of Kahn….wait, I think that title has been taken.

Brian


----------



## rkoorman

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Time and Again 67 Epilogue*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have finished my novel. http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-67-epilogue/
> 
> It is time to start thinking about Henry Wood 3: The Wrath of Kahn….wait, I think that title has been taken.
> 
> Brian


Brian,

I've been reading some of your stories. They stand out from other storys

Keep it up!!

Rick


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Time and Again 67 Epilogue*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have finished my novel. http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-67-epilogue/
> 
> It is time to start thinking about Henry Wood 3: The Wrath of Kahn….wait, I think that title has been taken.
> 
> Brian


Rick,

I am glad you enjoyed Henry Wood: Time and Again.

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Time and Again 67 Epilogue*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I have finished my novel. http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-time-and-again-ch-67-epilogue/
> 
> It is time to start thinking about Henry Wood 3: The Wrath of Kahn….wait, I think that title has been taken.
> 
> Brian


nice round up in the epilogue 
all in all a well writen story without all the boreing stuff
just enoff so we know the scene and the people in it

thank´s Brian
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

*Henry Wood: Perception Ch 1*

Hello All,

I took a day off. Then yesterday I wanted to start writing again. I am completely addicted. So I have started the 3rd Henry Wood.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-perception-ch-1-photos/

Thanks,

Brian


----------



## Dennisgrosen

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Perception Ch 1*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took a day off. Then yesterday I wanted to start writing again. I am completely addicted. So I have started the 3rd Henry Wood.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-perception-ch-1-photos/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


where is the hint, the action and the case ? beside the worryed man 
that was a realy soft start not even a little trip
downstairs into the shop and the closet

take care
Dennis


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Perception Ch 1*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took a day off. Then yesterday I wanted to start writing again. I am completely addicted. So I have started the 3rd Henry Wood.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-perception-ch-1-photos/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


You might be right. I will try to step it up a bit tonight.


----------



## canadianchips

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Perception Ch 1*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took a day off. Then yesterday I wanted to start writing again. I am completely addicted. So I have started the 3rd Henry Wood.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-perception-ch-1-photos/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


"Extremely Average #324: Henry Wood: Percetpion Ch 1" 
I am not one to point out a little mistake ,but I think your title has a little error.


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Perception Ch 1*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took a day off. Then yesterday I wanted to start writing again. I am completely addicted. So I have started the 3rd Henry Wood.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-perception-ch-1-photos/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


LOL…yes it does! That seems like about par for the course.


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Perception Ch 1*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took a day off. Then yesterday I wanted to start writing again. I am completely addicted. So I have started the 3rd Henry Wood.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-perception-ch-1-photos/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Haven't seen you around in over 80 days. What's up?

Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Perception Ch 1*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took a day off. Then yesterday I wanted to start writing again. I am completely addicted. So I have started the 3rd Henry Wood.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-perception-ch-1-photos/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


Bill,

I have been busily writing. There has been little time for woodworking. I should probably write a post and bring my Lumberjocks friends up to date. Henry Wood: Perceptions is almost finished, have you been following along?

Brian


----------



## Bill729

Ecocandle said:


> *Henry Wood: Perception Ch 1*
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I took a day off. Then yesterday I wanted to start writing again. I am completely addicted. So I have started the 3rd Henry Wood.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/02/henry-wood-perception-ch-1-photos/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian


No, I didn't realize you were still writing. I just browsed a couple of your recent posts at your site. Funny, I didn't think to look for you there. In a few days I'll have some time to get back to work on some of my ww-related projects…

Best,
Bill


----------



## Ecocandle

*Hello Long Lost Friends*

Hello LJs,

I have not posted in a long long time. I used to post every night, but eventually my blog was no longer about woodworking, just additional chapters of my Henry Wood Detective novels.

Back in October I got a job which required leaving my home. The long commute really shortened my days and I lost my 'Woodworking Time'. I had only enough time to write every day.

On Monday I went to the Woodsmith store and picked up a couple of magazines and a nice piece of cherry. I intend to make a few more tiny boxes to give away to promote the release of my first novel. 'The Henry Wood Detective Agency' got its start right here on Lumberjocks and now I am about to finish up the 3rd in the series. (All three should be released this summer, with at least the 1st one having a print edition.)

I wanted to thank everyone who encouraged me and followed Henry on his adventures. So Thanks. Tonight I wrote a blog post with some of the details about how Henry Wood came about and where he is now, if anyone is interested.

http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/05/story-of-the-writing-of-henry-wood/

Thanks,

Brian

p.s. I will however keep posting anything with woodworking foibles.  Monday I start my new tiny boxes!


----------



## oluf

Ecocandle said:


> *Hello Long Lost Friends*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I have not posted in a long long time. I used to post every night, but eventually my blog was no longer about woodworking, just additional chapters of my Henry Wood Detective novels.
> 
> Back in October I got a job which required leaving my home. The long commute really shortened my days and I lost my 'Woodworking Time'. I had only enough time to write every day.
> 
> On Monday I went to the Woodsmith store and picked up a couple of magazines and a nice piece of cherry. I intend to make a few more tiny boxes to give away to promote the release of my first novel. 'The Henry Wood Detective Agency' got its start right here on Lumberjocks and now I am about to finish up the 3rd in the series. (All three should be released this summer, with at least the 1st one having a print edition.)
> 
> I wanted to thank everyone who encouraged me and followed Henry on his adventures. So Thanks. Tonight I wrote a blog post with some of the details about how Henry Wood came about and where he is now, if anyone is interested.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/05/story-of-the-writing-of-henry-wood/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I will however keep posting anything with woodworking foibles.  Monday I start my new tiny boxes!


Good to see you back here Brian. I check in each evening at Extremely Average and follow you thare. I like the current story and look forward to seeing all the sub lines come togather. Thank you for your writing. Nils


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Hello Long Lost Friends*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I have not posted in a long long time. I used to post every night, but eventually my blog was no longer about woodworking, just additional chapters of my Henry Wood Detective novels.
> 
> Back in October I got a job which required leaving my home. The long commute really shortened my days and I lost my 'Woodworking Time'. I had only enough time to write every day.
> 
> On Monday I went to the Woodsmith store and picked up a couple of magazines and a nice piece of cherry. I intend to make a few more tiny boxes to give away to promote the release of my first novel. 'The Henry Wood Detective Agency' got its start right here on Lumberjocks and now I am about to finish up the 3rd in the series. (All three should be released this summer, with at least the 1st one having a print edition.)
> 
> I wanted to thank everyone who encouraged me and followed Henry on his adventures. So Thanks. Tonight I wrote a blog post with some of the details about how Henry Wood came about and where he is now, if anyone is interested.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/05/story-of-the-writing-of-henry-wood/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I will however keep posting anything with woodworking foibles.  Monday I start my new tiny boxes!


Nils,

I appreciate you following Henry on his adventures. It is nice to hear you are enjoying the stories. I am certainly having fun writing them.


----------



## scrollgirl

Ecocandle said:


> *Hello Long Lost Friends*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I have not posted in a long long time. I used to post every night, but eventually my blog was no longer about woodworking, just additional chapters of my Henry Wood Detective novels.
> 
> Back in October I got a job which required leaving my home. The long commute really shortened my days and I lost my 'Woodworking Time'. I had only enough time to write every day.
> 
> On Monday I went to the Woodsmith store and picked up a couple of magazines and a nice piece of cherry. I intend to make a few more tiny boxes to give away to promote the release of my first novel. 'The Henry Wood Detective Agency' got its start right here on Lumberjocks and now I am about to finish up the 3rd in the series. (All three should be released this summer, with at least the 1st one having a print edition.)
> 
> I wanted to thank everyone who encouraged me and followed Henry on his adventures. So Thanks. Tonight I wrote a blog post with some of the details about how Henry Wood came about and where he is now, if anyone is interested.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/05/story-of-the-writing-of-henry-wood/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I will however keep posting anything with woodworking foibles.  Monday I start my new tiny boxes!


Hi, Brian:
I have also missed your daily postings, although I certainly understand about your time restraints. As I said to you before, I am awaiting publication of your book(s) so that I can follow them in order. I am sure they will be wonderful and I wish you all the success in the world with them. I am happy you are finding some time to do some more woodworking too, as I do enjoy your blogs regarding your journey in learning new techniques.

Happy to see you back here.

Sheila


----------



## rance

Ecocandle said:


> *Hello Long Lost Friends*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I have not posted in a long long time. I used to post every night, but eventually my blog was no longer about woodworking, just additional chapters of my Henry Wood Detective novels.
> 
> Back in October I got a job which required leaving my home. The long commute really shortened my days and I lost my 'Woodworking Time'. I had only enough time to write every day.
> 
> On Monday I went to the Woodsmith store and picked up a couple of magazines and a nice piece of cherry. I intend to make a few more tiny boxes to give away to promote the release of my first novel. 'The Henry Wood Detective Agency' got its start right here on Lumberjocks and now I am about to finish up the 3rd in the series. (All three should be released this summer, with at least the 1st one having a print edition.)
> 
> I wanted to thank everyone who encouraged me and followed Henry on his adventures. So Thanks. Tonight I wrote a blog post with some of the details about how Henry Wood came about and where he is now, if anyone is interested.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/05/story-of-the-writing-of-henry-wood/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I will however keep posting anything with woodworking foibles.  Monday I start my new tiny boxes!


Brian, welcome back. I have enjoyed some of your recent boxes. However, I'm wondering what business a novel has on a site focused on woodworking. I'm sure it is a good read, but wouldn't there be a better place to talk about it and promote it? Just a thought.


----------



## HokieMojo

Ecocandle said:


> *Hello Long Lost Friends*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I have not posted in a long long time. I used to post every night, but eventually my blog was no longer about woodworking, just additional chapters of my Henry Wood Detective novels.
> 
> Back in October I got a job which required leaving my home. The long commute really shortened my days and I lost my 'Woodworking Time'. I had only enough time to write every day.
> 
> On Monday I went to the Woodsmith store and picked up a couple of magazines and a nice piece of cherry. I intend to make a few more tiny boxes to give away to promote the release of my first novel. 'The Henry Wood Detective Agency' got its start right here on Lumberjocks and now I am about to finish up the 3rd in the series. (All three should be released this summer, with at least the 1st one having a print edition.)
> 
> I wanted to thank everyone who encouraged me and followed Henry on his adventures. So Thanks. Tonight I wrote a blog post with some of the details about how Henry Wood came about and where he is now, if anyone is interested.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/05/story-of-the-writing-of-henry-wood/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I will however keep posting anything with woodworking foibles.  Monday I start my new tiny boxes!


Hey Brian,
I was about to check in with you to see if you were going to get back into woodworking blogs any time soon. I've missed your posts. Congrats on your writing!


----------



## Ecocandle

Ecocandle said:


> *Hello Long Lost Friends*
> 
> Hello LJs,
> 
> I have not posted in a long long time. I used to post every night, but eventually my blog was no longer about woodworking, just additional chapters of my Henry Wood Detective novels.
> 
> Back in October I got a job which required leaving my home. The long commute really shortened my days and I lost my 'Woodworking Time'. I had only enough time to write every day.
> 
> On Monday I went to the Woodsmith store and picked up a couple of magazines and a nice piece of cherry. I intend to make a few more tiny boxes to give away to promote the release of my first novel. 'The Henry Wood Detective Agency' got its start right here on Lumberjocks and now I am about to finish up the 3rd in the series. (All three should be released this summer, with at least the 1st one having a print edition.)
> 
> I wanted to thank everyone who encouraged me and followed Henry on his adventures. So Thanks. Tonight I wrote a blog post with some of the details about how Henry Wood came about and where he is now, if anyone is interested.
> 
> http://extremelyaverage.com/2011/05/story-of-the-writing-of-henry-wood/
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian
> 
> p.s. I will however keep posting anything with woodworking foibles.  Monday I start my new tiny boxes!


Rance,

You ask a very reasonable question. The reason I stopped posting my daily chapters to Lumberjocks, was for the reason you gave. It is woodworking forum. That being said, several people had emailed me and asked where I had gone. So though I don't post every single night anymore, I decided it was worth an update, since the novel was inspired by some of the folks here on LJ.

Brian


----------

