feeling good

Updated my “to do” list page, and I’m happy to see the balance shift from “to do”, and “want to do”, to done.

I’ve also added a gallery page, thanks to the new project card widget feature over at Lumberjocks. Not an exhaustive gallery of my projects (as some of the house and shop projects are only blogged there) but a nice record of what I’ve been up to these past few years…

Now, If only I can motivate myself to tackle the “have to do” list.

is it spring already?

Time away from blogging usually indicates that life is just getting too crazy - but it occasionally equals quality shop time, and for most of the winter, the latter has been true!

Lots of small projects, in the past couple months… and lots of nagging little things were taken care of on the random day (or week) off between jobs.

• (nearly) completed the shop clean up
• Sled for the tablesaw, and other assorted jigs - check!
• … dimensioned the lumber for my next (long overdue) box project
• Turned pens for the LJ swap, and to trade - check
• …kept on turning pens - an addictive habit to break (anyone wanna buy some and keep my “habit” going strong?
• Turned two bottle stoppers as gifts, and sold 4 more because of them
• ripped out and rebuilt the (scary) basement stairs - check

…and consequently, the shop is no longer clean, busted (And unknowingly charred) stair bits are in the way, as is chips and curls from the lathe.

What a happy winters transition into spring it’s been on the woodworking front!

The results are in, winter 2008

January was busy - conceptualizing my contest entry for the Lumberjocks 2×4 contest - which didn’t work out in the end.

I’m more encouraged by how my puzzle box fared.

This box, which I entered at the last minute because my 2×4 project went bust. Literally. I’ve since learned that you cannot bend softwoods, BUT a couple other jocks (winning 2×4 table, norwegian box) also threw conventional wisdom to the wind and were able to pull it off, so I’m encouraged to try again.

In a contest judged by its participants, I came in 14th out of 50. (almost upper 1/4!) Creativity and ingenuity bested a lot of other gorgeous projects by professional and amateur woodworkers.

I feel like I won.  Even though I didn’t come home with the granite topped bandsaw donated by Steel City Toolworks, or even a T-shirt. (That’s why I design my own.)

I’ve been noodling my follow up puzzles to this one - (whose parts were all made with only a hand powered miter saw and cordless drill) - and I’m excited to start working on those.

wine, wood and (no song)

What is one to do with varied interests and blogs about woodworking, food, and random funnyness? Once in a while the universe opens up and proves that even as scattered as we think our lives and interests are, that everything is (once in a while) truly interconnected. (and we get to kill 3 blogs with one stone. Except this stone is a piece of wine soaked, charred oak.

I was listening to a back log of food podcasts from Don Genova - a Canadian writer/broadcast journalist/podcaster I enjoy (his voice reminds me of a cross between Rick Steves, and my friend Mike - which is entertaining, and very listenable in itself)… where he visited a French cooperage (one woodworking profession that is still relevant today, but mostly forgotten) and got to talk to the Nth generation running it about how the wood effects the wine, and the differences between American and French oak, etc…

Forget steam bending. Fire bending!
More photos of the process on Don’s blog even more (gorgeous) photos and slideshow at Francois Freres site. Bear with it, as the english link seems broken.

It was cool to hear about all the proper woodworking that goes into their barrels, brining in new oak trees from the forest of central france, cutting and drying the wood for a couple years, and from there only using wood as a fuel source to heat shape and char (carmelize) the insides of the barrels.  

Anyhow, this got to me thinking,… that while tastes surely change and evolve over time… historically I never liked “oaky” wines, (and hence Scotch) for the buttery, vanilla etc… flavors that the oak imparts…. Little did I realize that as I got more and more into woodworking (and my wife and I learned more about wines thanks to a side venture of hers this past year) My prejudice against “oakiness” has changed. Just this week I was ripping down a dozen oak treads, and savoring the rich buttery aroma of the wood, almost drooling over what would best go with. (Brie surely, crabcakes, no Lobster. Salmon! mmm)

This little passion of ours invades, and enhances our lives in many ways!
Now where’s that 12 year old doublewood Scotch I’ve been saving…

Someones getting a remote controlled airplane in their stocking!

Just got another notification, it looks like someone else decided to forgo the mall and do their shopping here! Awesome!

Maybe, just maybe, my sales of this design will catch up with my wife’s sucess with Milo - not to feel bad though, being my design and concept as well. So now I feel like I have two winners!…

Though, I’m still the only guy sporting the clever Cookies T that got this whole print on demand ball rolling for me. Now available in Organic Cotton - I recently won one of these T’s from Lumberjocks (and I love it), plus I’ve lowered the prices a bit.

Happy (belated) birthday to me!

First off, thanks for all the birthday wishes when I was outta town.

And thanks to my fellow LJ turners for all the advice in helping me pick out this little badboy:

And thanks to my wife, who, with the cancellation of this weekends plans, will let me set this up in the Dining Room! No company coming over, no need for a clean house, right?…,

well, 2 out 3….

Oh, and thanks for the help from everyone at Woodcraft this morning… fortunately for my wallet, you’re not closer to home! I can’t believe (nor can my wife) that I walked out of there without any other impulse buys…. (like the worksharp, a chuck, new chisel, or a bunch of pen kits) just have to wait and see what Santa brings!

Gotta run, have a very busy weekend of making wood shavings ahead of me. So if I don’t post anything for a while, you know what I’ll be up to.

Now, everybody sing: Happy birthday to me happy birthday to me (500 rpm - turning up to 3900 rpm) hpybrthdy2mhpybrthdy2mhbd2mhbd2me!

one 2×4, one small box, and one awesome new saw

One thing I love about the semi-annual contests we have over at Lumberjocks, is that they fall outside of the busy times of the year. I can rest and relax (if such a thing is even remotely possible) until Christmas,… and then kick it into high gear, working on a pair of creative projects in January. I’ve been excited about the single 2×4 project since the idea was first kicked around, and seeing what my fellow jocks come up with will be just as exciting for me as if I won. - Despite the fact that the prizes keep getting more and more impressive with each contest, but the membership, talent, and scope of the site keeps growing and growing too - and still has the nice small town feel it always has.

one down, infinity to go

Normally I’ll try to spend every possible weekend (outside of family committments, etc.) getting things taken care of. The first couple years in our house I’d put the tools away for Thanksgiving, and drag them back out as soon as the Christmas tree was down.

I’ve decided I wanted to relax all of November from now on, and by relax I mean make Christmas presents and other fun projects, not things that feel like work. We’ll see how that plan works out… but until then, I’m running out of daylight to get the house buttoned down for the winter.

Yay, cross one more item off The List. - I just finished replacing clapboards on three of the back basement walls yesterday, (after tearing out the old insulation, drywall, soft sheathing and rotted/missing sills). And all done right before the rain was supposed to start…

It had better start raining soon, I want to see some blue skies, and warm temps for Pumpkin Day!

worth repeating

oh, and you can pick up a sweet participation gift from Lee Valley for yourself. Talk about a win-win.  But you don’t have to take my word for it…

 For immediate release

LUMBERJOCKS’ BECOME PHILANTHROPISTS
September, 2007 - LumberJocks.com announces its first annual “Fall Philanthropy Event: Woodworking for a Cause” and funds raised will be donated to “Save the Children”, to aid children who are in crisis due to natural disasters and the travesties of war.

This fall, the LumberJocks, woodworkers from around the world, will be building an example of their craft and will donate these artistic pieces for auction or sale. Martin Sojka, Founder of LumberJocks.com, says “this is one of the most exciting challenges the LumberJocks have taken on and who better to benefit from their generosity than children in need!”

PARTICIPATION IN THIS WORTHWHILE CAUSE
This highly anticipated event is open to all woodworkers – of all skill levels and trades. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, a sculptor or a furniture maker, a house-framer or a picture framer, you can join this charitable event.

To participate, simply register at LumberJocks.com (it’s free to join), build something, auction it off or sell it, and send the funds raised to “Save The Children, Canada”.  Detailed information about the process is available at http://lumberjocks.com/stc.

Woodworkers submitting contributions to “Save the Children, Canada”, through this philanthropy challenge, by January 1, 2007, will receive a participation gift, thanks to the generosity of Lee Valley Tools.

ABOUT “SAVE THE CHILDREN”
“Save the Children” is a non-political, non-religious organization committed to long-term development at the grassroots level through partnerships with local communities, government bodies and international organizations. For every dollar raised, eight-five cents goes directly to the children.

To aid children around the world, the organization develops projects to bring long-term sustainable improvements to benefit children, deliver immediate relief and assistance to families, speak out on behalf of children in order to empower others to make change, and include children in the development of their programs.  To learn more about what they do and how to support this cause, visit the website at www.savethechildren.ca.

ABOUT LUMBERJOCKS.COM
The rapidly growing community at LumberJocks.com is comprised of men, women, children, and youth (currently from four different continents) who are actively involved in woodworking. The members are a combination of professionals, skilled hobbyists, beginners and everything in between. They are furniture builders, artists, home renovators, and wood explorers.

The woodworkers join LumberJocks.com to share their experiences with wood, ask and answer questions, seek and post their personal tool reviews, find and share resource information, and blog their woodworking journeys. Throughout the year, several challenges take place to develop skills, showcase projects, and, now, to “give back” by donating a project to the Fall Philanthropy Event!

For more information on how to participate in the woodworking event or how to purchase one of the woodworking projects, visit LumberJocks.com and/or email Martin Sojka, Founder, at lumberjocks@gmail.com or Debbie Pribele, Community Manager, at debbie.lumberjocks@gmail.com.

Make Sawdust, Save the Children

Lets help make the holidays a little brighter for children suffering the atrocities of war, and natural disasters…

Step 1. Take some wood and make something.

Step 2. Sell it to a friend, colleague, random person on the bus, at a craft fair, on eBay…

Step 3. Become a Lumberjock and help Save the Children!

Lumberjocks are awesome!