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176343 "Frederick Yochim" <rickyo74@e...> 2008‑01‑15 Williamsburg and Rick Yochim bio
Esteemed Galoots,
 
My name is Rick Yochim and I've been lurking now for a couple of years
so I thought that with the excellent posts about the Williamsburg
conference already offered, I might use this opportunity
to step into the light and add some stuff of my own having
attended the first week's session. If any of you who was there last
week noticed the wide-eyed and dazed gomer over in the corner with
drool cup and the silly grin, that was me.   
 
My bio: I'm a retired Army officer who grew up  in SoCal
(that's Southern California Jeff) and while attending the U. of Hawaii 
on the 7 year plan, I built custom face-frame cabinets (primarily in
koa, which remains my favorite wood to this day) and did
trim carpentry on both residential and high-end commercial jobs
to support myself. I was trained by union carpenters who,
in the 1970's at least, still used hand tools. As elements of the
Japanese woodworking tradition and tools existed in Hawaii
carpentry and cabinet-making processes at that time, I
started out on Japanese tools, most of which I still have
but don't use much anymore.  Some may find
it odd, but I now prefer my western style hand tools, both OT
and new stuff.  It's not because I've evolved (Resist!),moved
to a higher plane (insert silly plane quip here), seen any particular
light (or crop circle), or discovered some flaw with Japanese 
tools and methods (there are none). It's just that my old arthritic
hands seem to reach for the western iron first. I live in
Northern Virginia, and my favorite color is blood red.
Bright, rich, arterial red. 
 
OK, here's 3 observations and a Roy Story from Williamsburg
last week. I rely on the collected assemblage to correct any 
factual errors.
 
Observation #1: All saws in the Hay shop ARE filed rip. Not a
crossie to be found.
Observation#2: You CAN stick a molding profile cross grain
with a hollow. That's how Mack Headley did the thumbnail
molding on the sides of the top of the unfinished walnut writing
desk he brought out. As my past attempts at sticking cross
grain profiles with molding planes have been, well, sub-optimal; 
I can only explain this by the fact that Mack is an inspired
genius who knows EXACTLY what he's doing.  And that
I am a ham handed dolt. 
Observation#3. You CAN achieve a silky smooth, light 
reflective finish using only planes. In one of his demonstrations, 
Garrett Hack used a 604 as his "rough smoother" (mouth 
opening suitable for mortals) and a gleaming, unhandled English
YB infill as his "smooth smoother" (mouth opening visible only
in your imagination).  The quotes are mine, but on a break I
asked him and he confirmed what I thought we saw and heard 
- he uses 2 differently set smoothers to achieve the glass-like 
finishes on his stuff. And he told us he rarely scrapes. 
Roy Story. During the conference's last day I was sitting in the 
far back of the theatre watching Mack Headley's talk on the 
Hewlett gentleman's tool chest when a tallish, wiry looking
fellow with a moustache asked if anyone was sitting in the chair 
next to me.  I said no and he sat down. Could it be?  
Na, it's not him. This guy looks so .normal.  Wait it is him. 
IT'S HIM! All right compose yourself soldier, you've been 
in stressful situations before. It's training and discipline that get
you through. Don't say anything. Be cool and detached, focus
on Mack's presentation and leave him alone. So I get a nudge
as Mack is explaining something. "Is that groove next to a bead
called a quirk" "Yes I reply. It's called a quirk." Then he said
"Thought so.  I've used a #45 plane to make beads and 
wondered what they call that little flat next to the bead." Feeling
confident in my knowledge of something I thought I read on a 
website somewhere, I venture, "You know Roy, (I call him Roy) 
the quirks on most wooden beading planes are fashioned in a vee, 
whereas our #45 bead cutters have the flat.  That's because the
quirks on #45 beads can fill up with paint and still leave the 
groove but if you where to stick a bead with most wooden 
planes and paint the surface the quirk would tend to fill up 
because there's no flat and you would diminish the light and 
shadow effect the quirk provides."  "Wow didn't know that, 
makes sense, thanks." "Sure" I reply, "glad to help." 
My voice now rising to the moment, I then add, "Some people don't 
like #45's but I do.  I did a bunch of beaded tongue and grove 
wainscot for my basement with mine and it was a lot of fun, 
you just have to pick straight grain stuff." WHAM! Rick goes 
yard with a home run. We both use a #45 so we're amigos now. 
Simpatico.  Fellow Travelers.  
Roy: "Hey Rick, this has been a great discussion but you 
better keep it down, other people are trying to hear Mack's talk."
 
Rick Yochim
 
Boldly going where you have all gone before.  (and promising much
shorter posts in the futre) 
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