A Learning Adventure in the Workshop

Galootaclaus 2006 Arrives!

Below are photos of my "Galootaclaus 2006" gift from Derek Cohen from down-under (Perth, Australia to be exact). If you don't know what/who Galootaclaus is, I recommend that you join the OldTools email list and find out.

I received the most unbelievable handmade marking knife and awl set (in handmade hand-dovetailed box) from Derek!!!

Holy cow! I "tried" to wait until Christmas...but you know...anyway its a "good thing" to open international packages immediately (wink).  So, I opened it a couple of days before Christmas and emailed Derek.

All I can say is "wow" what beautiful work!  Thanks to Derek very much for my Galootaclaus gift...it is excellent.  I have already used the marking knife.  I am truly honored to have a piece of his work.

This is my first time in participating in Galootaclaus and I am truly amazed at the people on the OldTools list and the way that Galootaclaus works based purely on the good-will of the participants.  Renews my belief in mankind!

Seems as if Australia is also the center of many good woodworking things.  I would really like to make a trip sometime soon.

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

Pattern Routing and New Chisel Rack

Over the past week I've set up my pattern-routing jig to cut the curved pieces for the desks and successfully cut the first three of the eight outer-bottom desk rails.  Since I had previously made the patterns, it is now just a production process to crank out all of the parts.

 Additionally, I added a scrap piece of clear Lexan plastic to the top of the pattern routing jig as an additional safety shield.  Since I cannot use the router table's guard for pattern-routing, this seemed like a prudent thing to do and it is working well.  It has the added advantage of helping to direct the saw-dust from the cutter toward the general direction of the dust pick-up opening.

I also made a quick-and-dirty bench chisel rack for my chisels and mounted it behind the work bench.  Up till now, I have used cloth chisel rolls for my chisels, and while these provide good storage, they are not convenient for tools that I use all of the time.  The new small rack is much easier to access.

OldTools List - On Becoming a Galoot

I've slowly been using more and more hand tools in my woodworking, and discovering that using a properly tuned and sharpened hand tool is actually easier (and more accurate)  than using its power counterpart for some operations.  Additionally, it tends to be quieter and somewhat safer. Plus, it appeals to my interest in history and old things in general.

As I head down the slippery slope to old-tool user, I found the OldTools email list.  This is a great, friendly and informative group of people.  I highly recommend joining the group if you enjoy intelligent, moderated discourse about "old tools"...it has rapidly become my favorite on-line woodworking resource.   Just be warned, you will need to learn the lingo for the email list.  If you are a hand tool user, you will be called a "galoot" (a good thing)....your power tools are "tailed demons" and your hand tools are "untailed"...among other list-isms.

Don't worry, I'm not giving up my power tools, just adding to the arsenal.

Slow Progress and Blade Destruction

I have now completed the top rails that go above the drawers on the desks.  Now on to pattern-routing the curved rails that go below the drawers.  These will take a bit more time.

I've decided that I will use aniline dye on the desks (brown mahogany color) with likely a "General Finishes"-brand top-coat.  I have purchased the dye and am going to begin experimenting with some scraps so that I have my final finish mix ready by the time that I need it.

I accidentally destroyed the 10" blade in my power-miter saw last week.  I was using a piece of scrap wood to re-align the measuring gauge in my home-made fence, when I hit a hidden nail in the wood scrap.  Several of the carbide teeth broke off from the blade at their bond with the steel.  Luckily it was a cheaper blade.  I have now replaced it with a Dewalt chop-saw blade (90 teeth) that I would hate to damage, so I had better be more careful.  Another lesson learned.