A toolbag is more than an interesting title for an uninteresting person

It's been a while since I last posted. I'd like to have a really cool excuse but I don't, I've just been busy and lacking in motivation as far as writing is concerned. For verification of the lack of motivation to write see my last post.

The Woodcraft class has met twice since I last posted. They had dimensioned the plinth boards and were ready to layout and cut dovetails. Upon parting Steve wrote the process of dovetailing on the whiteboard in the shop. I find it very difficult to recite the process, I just do it. I visualized cutting the joint while Steve wrote it out. It is reproduced here just in case you are interested.

When we parted the homework assignment was to be ready to dovetail plinths, have the carcase supports ready except for length and perhaps a width adjustment and carcase components ready except for length and glue joints.

Meanwhile, the class in my shop started with the discovery that a tool bag is not merely an interesting title for an uninteresting person.

Tails and pins are cleaned up.

Kashley's plinth is assembled. The glue-up went extremely well. I find glue ups with hide glue to be exciting. I sometimes offer suggestions in a manner that is louder than my usual demeanor. Megan and Kashley can verify this for you.

Successful assembly must always be followed by an announcement of same.

A little more clean up and

Megan's plinth is assembled as well. This was the first time I had used corner clamps...probably the last as well, at least on dovetails.

Fast forward two weeks and we are back at Woodcraft. After cutting the tails we need to cut a groove to hold the carcase supports. Since we are using through dovetails great care must be taken to assure that we do not clip off a piece of tail while using the rabbet plane. Therefore, we dive in and out of the rabbet with the plane and finish the ends with a router plane. Not as fast as just using the rabbet plane but much faster than repairing square holes in the tails.

Meanwhile, Steve reshoots one of his long plinth boards to correct for a variation in width from the opposite plinth board. Since he has very little to remove and only from part of the board he shoots with his smoother.

Then he is ready to cut his tails.

Here is sets up for a first class saw cut to remove the hald-pin socket.

After Dave's glue has set (but not yet cured) he cuts the rabbet in the end board. This is just a small ledge to help hold the carcase support. It's cut after assembly because it must not show or weaken the dovetail joint.

Back in my shop, Megan starts to plane the piece of poplar that she will use for the carcase support for thickness. She commented that it seemed a shame to bury the green, blue, purple and white wood in the base of the chest where it will never be seen again.

Then it was time for Megan to start on the carcase of her chest. Below she is sawing the cherry board that she selected for the front of the chest.

I quickly hit it with a smoother plane just to show how good her eye is at spotting interesting lumber.
She also selected a piece of walnut with both heart and sapwood. She will rip that in half and border the cherry with it.

So, there you are all caught up on the action.

Schedule:
11/26 I will be teaching SketchUp II at Woodcraft in Grand Rapids. The class runs from 4:00 to 7:00. You should be competent in the basics of SketchUp to take this class.

11/28 I will teach 'Sharpening for the Woodworker" at Woodcraft in Grand Rapids from 4:00 to 7:00. This class is the basics of sharpening and then practice on a chisel, block plane, bench plane and a striking knife. We will also discuss/demonstrate sharpening other tools. This is a hands-on class so bring dull tools and your sharpening kit.

Comments and questions are always welcomed.

Cheers,
Bill

Southwest Michigan Woodworker's Guild

On 11/13/2012 I traveled with Gary Foote, the owner of the Woodcraft in Grand Rapids, to the November meeting of the Southwest Michigan Woodworker's Guild. I apologize if the name is incorrect.

It's an interesting group. They meet in the home of one of their members. The fellow has a well-equipt power-tool workshop. He and his wife were excellent hosts. There were about 35 members in attendance. After a short business session they did show and tell. It apparent that this club is full of woodworkers, not woodtalkers. They also have a couple of club-wide projects making toys as Christmas gifts for two local charities.

Everyone adjourned to the shop when I was to speak. There is an overhead camera and monitors both in front of and behind me. This allowed close-ups of my hands as I worked. After an inspiring introduction by Gary I began my usual introduction to sharpening. I always ask people that attend my sharpening classes and lecture to tell me how long it takes to bring a chisel from flat-out dull to sharp enough to put a finish ready surface on end-grain. Apparently I've been been doing this for a while, one of the attendees spoke up and announced, "You can do it in 8 seconds but you'll tell us it will take you 12."

He was right...on both counts.

I demonstrated many techniques and spoke about steel for about 90 minutes I think. I answered a bunch of questions about hand tool only woodworking and about developing speed in various hand tool tasks. It was great fun. If they weren't 3 hours away I'd attend their meetings regularly. If you are in the Kalamazoo area I will be happy to get contact information for you, just drop me an email.

Bill