I come from an Ozarks farm background, our use of wood was framing a barn
or setting a fencepost. I made (very rough) bookshelves but that was
about it. Powertools were always it. Imagine my shock when I sat
down and SS'ed an el-cheapo block plane and found I didn't get the
tearout I expected. I'd thought there was some "trick". I have just
purchased a #8 Millers Falls plane and am amazed at how everything
feels like a real machine. (My grandfather, whom I lived with, was
an ex-machinist who had a small machine shop down the hill, I can
run metal lathes, drill presses, welders, etc etc).
By day I am a Unix SysAdmin. By night I have been fretting because
my router/routertable/powersaw/dremel/sander make so much noise I
can only use them on weekends. That and the dust is a pain in my
contacts. I am a firm believer in the proper tool for the proper
job. I'll probably keep my stuff, but things are beginning to
look like a switch to hand tools for finishing and power for roughing
it out.
In the rest of my copious free time (yeah right) I take and develop
pictures with my 4"x5" Super Speed Graphic. When I get good with
dovetails I may have a shot at making a view camera with a bit more
in the way of movements for my B&W photography.
My big experiment currently is pulling the light tripod trick with
my B&D workmate. I'm looking for about 100lbs of weight to suspend
on it to make it more stable. Unfortunately I currently am working
out of a 3ft x 4ft x 2ft box with the workmate sitting on it's own.
My one big advantage is my SO. She likes to make things also. I
handed her a SS chisel, she tried it on a piece of wood and
immediately stated "I want more than just this one". :) She is
the one that spotted the Millers Fall plane. I would have walked
right past it. Of course, the next 6 projects are ones she wants.
Anyone working out of a storage rental unit? I need someplace I
can work anytime and run those tailed things from time to time
without annoying the neighbors.
Roger Books
|