Woodworking Without Focus

This passed weekend was a rarity in my life as of late. Though it was a busy, kids activity filled weekend, I actually managed to make it into my shop on Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights.

My new rasp.

As wonderful as that shop time was, I stand here now looking at it and can only ask, "What did I do?" I know I took my oscilating drum sander down from the attic. I can also tell you I busted out my Japanese rasp for the first time and Ive still got the pile of sawdust to prove it.

Not much to behold.

For all those (and other) tools I put to use, all I have to show for it is a roundish block of wood.Now, mind you, this lack of accomplishment is not due to any lack of tasks to accomplish. As of this writing I have to: buff out the finish for the monitor mounting board I’m using as a test finishing case, put a finish on the Guild Shaker Table I built last year, cut and fit the doors to the Bastard Wall Cabinet I’m making now and build 3 Harry Potter wands before the final movie comes out.Unfortunately, by the time I’ve made it to the shop lately, I’ve just been too worn out to think and get motivated. So instead, I’ve just turned wood to dust. Hopefully I’ll get some rest and get back in the grove this week.

The rasp makes dust rather than shavings.

Do you ever just go into the stop and stare?

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A Little Reorganizing A Little Shop Tour

I cleaned and rearranged the shop today. Now that the wands are finally (almost) done, I needed to clean and rearrange things so that I could walk, use the table saw and find my bench.

Most of the rearrangement involved the hanging of the Bastard Tool Cabinet on the wall and moving my Festool sanders off the floor and onto the wall next to the Bastard.

There are a few corrections to what I say in the video:

1. I think the Port-A-Mate rack was more. I bought is a while ago.
2. What I say is cherry on the lumber rack looks like, and is, walnut.
3. I say “That’s about it” three (3) times. Only one (1) of those times is at the end.

How’s your shop organization? Time for a cleaning?

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2013 June Shop Tour

June rolled in this weekend and with it, my June Shop Tour for 2013.
I braved the summer heat to document what a mess the shop is currently in and how very little Ive managed to accomplish it in.

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Its Wanderful Part 1 Where to Begin

About 3 months ago my Sister-in-Law asked me to make her a wand to take to the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II. It’s not that she often requests things (though she does have a bookcase I built), it’s that she’s A) a harry potter fan and B) a follower of mine on Google Buzz.

Kenneths awesome wand that made my Sister-in-law go "Oh."

You see, in November of 2010, my friend, Kenneth Woodruff, wrote a blog post about the fantastic Harry Potter wand he made for Halloween that year. As I was truly impressed, I of course shared it on Buzz. I happened to be visiting my Sister-in-Law at the time, and as soon as I shared it “that’s a cool wand” could be heard from her corner of the living room.

Fast forward to May of 2011 and as the movie date approaches I get asked to make wands, wands for my Wife, Sister-in-Law and her partner. Wands like Kenneth made.Had Kenneth made a tool cabinet or a vacuum boom arm, I would have jumped right into the project. However, as Kenneth’s wand was faithful to the original (in that it is round and has carvings), it was a project well outside of my woodworking comfort zone. I’ve never worked in the round or carved before. As neither round work nor carving have held any appeal for me, I’ve never even read up on them (as I have with many other woodworking methods that I am interested in but have yet to try).

Kenneths great carved wand handle.

My first reaction was to stall. I didn’t really think about the project for 2 or 3 weeks. When I finally did begin planning, I went right to the source and contacted Kenneth about the wands. He was nice enough to provide some details on how he made his wand and some more detailed photos. The instructions still left this carving virgin wondering how I was going to make the wands. The photos though, were a fantastic help and a full 8.5” x 11” print out on photo paper served as my plan for making my wands. Following Kenneth’s advice, I then contacted the best and most enthusiastic carver I know, Kari Hultman. Unfortunately, my total carving naiveté was a deficit that even Kari’s detailed email instructions could not overcome.

One of 16 draws worth of carving gouges my dad has.

Frustrated, I then turned to my Dad, a rather proficient carver in his own right, for advice. He pointed me towards his vast collection of carving tools and said have at it. Unfortunately, as sharpening is a task I’m only slightly better at then carving (and his curved carving tools looked awfully hard to sharpen), I turned down his offer to lend me his carving gouges and I decided to make the wands from my own tools that I knew how to use.

What projects have your family talked you into?

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Blurry In The Shop Too Many Projects To Focus

Ive got too many projects open right now, and I cant seem to focus.

Sheathing . . . finally.

The shop itself has been an open project since the fall of 2008 when I tore out the garage. Ive been actively working on the shop since returning from Woodworking in America 2011. In that time Ive managed to super insulate the walls (R-40), run the new wiring and sheath with 3/4" OSB. With the installation of outlets, Im closing in on a functional space.

This tree house isnt going to finish itself.

As the shop puts me in a honey do deficit, I also have the requisite family project going on. Since last summer Ive been working on a tree house for my kids. At this point its fully framed and sheathed. I just need to roof it, deck it and build a ladder. As the weather is breaking and the kids are ever anxious for their tree house, this is probably where most of my time will go for the foreseeable future.

Some day, this will hold a glue gun.

Currently on my bench there is a half finished glue gun rack. Its made of walnut with ebony accents as most glue gun racks are. Its a design as I go project. While this method usually works for me, the design process for this project isnt holding my attention and the rack is beginning to stall.

Some day, this is going to be an ass kicking bench.

The bench itself is another open project. Im still using a Whiteside bench I bought off Craigs List many years ago. In 2011 I began working on my Clockwork Bench. Ive gotten as far as rounding up my vise hardware (and having it custom milled). Ive also picked up the lumber for the bench.Its waiting patiently in my attic.

Also in my arrive is a chair my Aunt & Uncle have asked me to fix. Its a relatively generic piece of commercially made oak furniture. I need to make a missing arm and reattach a loose one. Luckilly, Ive been told by my uncle that the shape of the new arm doesnt need to be perfect, just the color & tone of the finish.

Those five (5) projects are probably enough to keep me busy through the end of 2013. Yet, its not the glue gun rack or my bench details that Ive been sketching lately. Ive been scribbling achoice on chair designs like mad over the last few week. I’ve got a sinking suspicion that this sixth project may end up being the first one finished.

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