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#1 ·
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.
 
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#854 ·
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.
 
#855 ·
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!
 
#861 ·
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.
 
#870 ·
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.
 
#888 ·
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.
 
#893 ·
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.
 
#906 ·
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.
 
#909 ·
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.
 
#912 ·
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.
 
#917 ·
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
 
#933 ·
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
 
#949 ·
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.
 
#956 ·
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.
 
#960 ·
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
 
#961 ·
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
 
#964 ·
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.
 
#969 ·
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
 
#975 ·
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

 
#976 ·
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
 
#977 ·
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
 
#985 ·
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 .
 
#988 ·
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
 
#989 ·
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
 
#994 ·
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
 
#1,002 ·
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!
 
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