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Experiences

I am a Crapenter

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I love to cook.  Saute. Roast. Grill. Braise.  If it’s food, I can do a pretty decent job making it taste good.  In fact, if I didn’t woodwork, I would probably list cooking as my favorite hobby… and tip the scales at a much higher weight than I do already.

The only one skill I have yet to master is baking. I mean, it seems so simple.  Depending on the recipe, all you have to do is mix ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, eggs and baking powder, pop them in the oven and BAM, you have cake.

But baking is different.  If you aren’t absolutely precise on your measurements and your process, you can end up with something that looks like a modern art masterpiece and sits in your gut like a ton of bricks.  It’s completely opposite of the loosey-goosey kind of cooking  that takes place in a skillet.

The same holds true for working with wood. I like to do fine woodworking.  No, I don’t cut every dovetail by hand or thickness my boards with a classic infill smoothing plane until the surface glows.  But, I do like to carefully mark components and fit them with a great degree of precision into the project.  For me, that’s a pleasant way to while away time in the shop.

Rough carpentry, however, is a completely different animal.  My wife and I have decided that the home’s original kitchen counter top which I had tiled over when we first moved in  had seen much better days.  In fact, it is pretty darned gross and needed to be replaced.  While we were checking out the solid surface counter tops, my wife was struck with the idea of adding a high sitting bar to the existing kitchen design.  The fellow who sold us the new counter top drew a quick yet thorough design of how to add this feature with a simple 2 x 4 framed wall screwed to the existing kitchen cabinets.

“And, you look like a pretty handy guy.  I’m sure you can do it.”

Let’s just say that as with baking, rough carpentry is something I just don’t do well.  It doesn’t make any sense.  After all, isn’t it just cutting dimensional lumber to a certain length, butting it together and driving some nails.  Piece of cake, right?

Not so fast.  I soon discovered that I can’t cut a straight line with a circular saw to save my life. And, forget about hitting an exact dimension.  Some of the studs I cut were off by half an inch, requiring me to use shims to get the boards to fit properly.

And, then there was the nailing.  I’ve become a brad nailer convert, just like my power-driven fastener idol Norm Abram.  My skills with driving nails using a hammer are dodgy at best.  And, when it comes to driving 12d spikes with my 16 oz. claw hammer, let’s just say that the results can be humorous.

In fact, the toughest part of the job was framing the wall in my shop.  I had to send the family far away from me so I could practice using all of the naughty words I was told to never use when I was in grammar school.

I’m no carpenter.  I am, however, a proud CRAPenter, builder of lousy rough carpentry projects.

Eventually, I got the wall inside and properly secured to the existing cabinets.  If I walk by and try to shake it, it is actually pretty solid.  Maybe it’s just a tad out of plumb on one side, about 1/16 over its 41″ height.  Not terrible, but I’m sure I can do better next time.

The moment of truth arrived when the gentleman came in from the counter top company to template for the job.  He walked into the kitchen and looked around.  “Who framed in your wall?” he asked.

Sheepishly, I owned up to the deed.  “Not bad.  You should have seen the awful job I saw at the last house  I was at.  I told the guy he had to tear his wall out and start over again.”

OK, maybe I’m not quite as bad as I thought I was.

And, once those new counter tops go in, I’m going to have to try to learn how to bake…

Spotlight

Species Spotlight: Purpleheart

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When I say the word ‘wood’ to you, you probably think of the stuff that trees are made of (obviously) and a color that runs somewhere in the pale (maple), brownish (oak) or dark (walnut) category.

Some logs, however, can really surprise you with their dramatic colors. Purpleheart is a striking example of just how unique the natural color of wood can be.

This South American hardwood grows in the rain forests of Brazil, Guyana and Suriname.  “When the stuff is first cut, the boards are very plain looking – kind of a light tan,” said Eric Proirier of Bell Forest Products.  “But, once they are exposed to the air, they take on a vibrant purple color.  It’s an amazing transformation.”  But, Eric warns, if you want to keep the bright purple, you are going to have to put a UV blocking finish on it.  “If you don’t, eventually the wood will change to a darker brown color with just a hint of the purple in it.  Still nice looking, but nothing like what you started with.”

Since it is harvested from the tropical rain forests, there is a concern about over harvesting.  “There have been some cases of that in the past, but we have made a commitment to buy our logs from environmentally-responsible loggers.  For something as dramatic as purpleheart, we want to ensure that future generations of woodworkers will be able to work with it.”

Purpleheart is also legendary for its hardness.  In the Janka test (how much force it takes to push a steel ball halfway into the wood), purpleheart rates at 1860 pounds of force.  “That’s more durable than North American hickory… it’s pretty strong stuff!”  Very sharp tools are the keys to successfully working with this tough wood. “Keep your chisels and planes honed, and be sure to use carbide on your power tool bits and blades.  Other than that, it’s a very well-behaved wood that works well.”

What can you do with Purpleheart?  The unique color makes it a natural accent for lighter woods. Dovetail keys and splines to reinforce a corner are naturals, and it makes outstanding cabinet knobs and pulls. “An inlay or stringing done in purpleheart is eye-catching especially on a maple or birch table top.  People who see your work will ask how you stained the wood to look like that.”

Since the wood is also very hard and durable, it’s a natural for making the bodies of wooden planes.  “You can’t dent the stuff with a fingernail, making it ideal for plane makers.  Even if you just wanted to laminate a purpleheart sole onto another material for the plane body, that would give you the durability you need to make a long lived tool.”

Its  tough nature and shock resistance makes it a great pool cue material, and Bell Forest Products keeps a number of pool cue blanks on hand for that purpose.

It also excels in the kitchen.  “We have put together a kit of the wood necessary to make a Wood Whisperer cutting board containing maple and purple heart.  Even if your culinary skills aren’t all that good, the cutting board you use will dazzle your guests!”

Quick Polls

Quick Poll

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This past Friday was known as as Black Friday… they day when retailers traditionally have sold enough items to get out of the red (debt) and into the black (profitability) for the year.

Tomorrow, however, is known as Cyber Monday, when workers with computers return to their offices to begin online shopping… on company time!

Since online commerce is a relatively new phenomena, this week’s question has to do with buying woodworking tools online.  Sure, there’s nothing like holding a tool in your hands to get the feel and balance of a tool.  However, there are other times when the only time to get the exact tool you need is to go online.

From classic hand tools to the latest cutting edge power offerings, woodworkers can find a dazzling array of tools to drool over.

So, this week’s question – what’s the largest woodworking tool you have ever purchased online?  Was it a simple package delivery, or did it involve a forklift and a large tractor trailer?

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Link of the week

Link of the Week

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Naturally Wood

Why should all of our holiday building be geared toward Christmas alone?  There are many Jewish woodworkers and woodworkers with friends who celebrate Hanukkah – why not consider building a craft-made wooden Menorah to help celebrate the holidays?

Woodworker Gary Markow creates some interesting, whimsical and unique Menorahs to light up the eight nights of celebration.

They are available to buy, but, if you would like to build your own to use for your family or to give as a gift, the Wikipedia entry on Menorahs gives a description you should keep in mind when building.

For instance, the eight candles – representing the eight nights that the lamp burned in the Temple during the purification – should all be on the same level, and a ninth called the shamash (sometimes called the  ‘helper candle’) should be mounted higher.

Experiences, Projects

Thankful for what I have – and what I can do

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Raising kids today can be quite a challenge.  I want my two sons to grow up as generous young men, not thinking solely about themselves.  The holiday season always poses the toughest challenge of the year.  My wife and I have had to work hard to ensure that the holidays are not just about Me! Me! Me!, but about the spirit of giving to those who are less fortunate than we are.

For instance, at my office, we have a holiday bike drive that provides new bikes to kids who are receiving social services.  All through the year, my co-workers and I throw our pocket change into a container to add to the effort.  It’s an effective and painless way to give to the cause, and in years past, we there have been times we have managed to collect more than $250 that way.  I have encouraged my sons this time of the year to collect the pennies languishing in the bottom of their desk drawers and contribute them to the drive, and they have done so willingly.

The only shot I have of my son's cradle - 2001

Another, more heartfelt way we have given back started a few years ago as a way to clear space in our house.  I had built a cradle for my youngest son just before he was born.  It was just a plain pine model screwed together.  At the time, I thought it was the epitome of craftsmanship…

But, as my skills progressed, I soon realized that it was nothing but a simple screwed together pine cradle.  Since I was sure that I could do better when my grandchildren arrive in a few decades, I loaded the cradle into the back of our van early one morning and left it by the front door of a local pregnancy crisis center.  We attached a note:

Dear Folks:

Please be sure this cradle is given to a young mother who may not be able to afford to give her new child something nice this holiday.

Santa

I needed my sons to be there to see what generosity means this time of the year.  An anonymous donation of something special  may have meant the world to a frightened young lady.  My boys learned a lot that day, and I could see that they were getting the message that it’s great to give to others without praise or reward.

Since then, I’ve made it a point to donate other hand crafted things to that center…either more cradles or a simple rocking horse built from a plan I use.  I always drop them off with the same note.

This year, I am planning on doing more of the same. I have gotten a lot of encouragement  from my friends at Wood Magazine. They provided me with a plan to build their classic  Heirloom Cradle.  No, I decided against building the storage box…  I’m just tackling the cradle to keep things simpler in the hectic holiday season.

Thanks also goes out to the folks at Bell Forest Products, who donated the maple and walnut for the contrasting wedges I will be using to build this piece.  Thanks, guys.

Through the building process, I’ll try to remember to post in-progress pictures (I am terrible about remembering this step, aren’t I?) to document the building, and I hope to be able to drop this cradle off to the nearby center sometime before mid-December.

While I have always been a Secret Santa, this year, I thought that it would be a good idea to share this experience with my woodworking friends.  I’m sure that in your hometowns, there must be other similar facilities which serve those going through tough times.  I’m hoping that – if you are so moved – you might consider building a cradle of your own and dropping it off – anonymously.

I don’t want to have to post this, but I believe it’s important that I do. I understand that teen pregnancy or pregnancy outside of marriage can be a hot-button issue.  Just so you know, I won’t be accepting or posting any political manifestos about the topic.  However, might I suggest that if what is written here does evoke strong feelings, perhaps you might want to consider channeling your energies to building something you find more palatable, like a rocking horse for kids getting medical treatment at a nearby children’s hospital.

I know that one day my two sons will grow up, become young men, move away and eventually raise families of their own.  I just hope that the lessons my wife and I are teaching are something that stick with them, and that they pass them on to their children.

I have so much to be thankful for this year.  My wish for you is that  the holiday season brings each of you nothing but health, happiness and peace.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, my friends…

Shop Talk

“You are tough to buy for…”

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My wife and I have a great relationship. We are a good pair of ‘parent partners’ when it comes to raising our boys. We share many of the same tastes in food, friends and keeping our home a pleasant place to live. There are times when we are right on the same wavelength, knowing when – say – it’s time to leave a party because someone thinks it would be cool to start dancing the Macarena.

The one time we seem to disconnect is when we are buying gifts for each other. I remember the time I bought her utility long underwear tops and bottoms – and gave them to her – on Christmas morning – in front of her parents – while we were just still dating.

I am an extreme dufus.

For many years, we would share the same lament whenever Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, our anniversary, the holidays or our birthdays would roll around. What am I going to get for my loving – and ever patient – spouse?

We got to the point where we now write down our gift ideas and slip them to each other. It’s been a good solution, and I’m currently working my way through her’s this holiday season. So far, so good.

But, it’s almost 2010! Pen and paper? So outdated. Besides, aren’t we all going paperless these days?

That’s why many retailers are getting savvy and putting together entire gift sites on their online stores. Every year, merchants are making it easier for those loved ones in your life to pick the right goodies for you.

EAGifts

“The whole reason we started our gift site,” said Tim Walter of Eagle America, “is that we know woodworkers throw themselves into their gift making this time of the year. We just wanted to make sure that you weren’t forgotten about, either.”

As with many other sites, the folks at Eagle America have combed through their entire catalog of offerings to select those handy, just-can’t-do-without items that woodworkers would love to see under the tree. “We put a focus on both essential items as well as some more fun woodworking accessories. After all, fun on Christmas morning shouldn’t just be for the kids, woodworkers deserve some too!”

The gift offerings are also broken into dollar range categories. “We understand that not everyone can afford to spend a lot this holiday season. That’s why we broke the categories down by amount. For instance, if you have kids and they are pooling their allowance to buy you something for the shop, we want to ensure they can find a high-quality tool well within their price range.”

And, for those who may have been extra-nice this year, “There are lots of fun ‘toys’ in there…you know what I mean, power tools! Who wouldn’t want a brand new Fein Multimaster under the tree?”

Of course, you can recommend your loved ones just browse by category, or you could select a few items and put them on your wish list. “Sometimes, you need a particular tool to help you develop your skills. Planting a few suggestions gives the gift-giver some guidance on what you are looking for and helps prevent them from giving you something that you may already have.”

While it may seem like it’s no longer a gift if you plant a few strong hints, remember, you may be helping your spouse, friends or relatives who might be sweating over choosing a gift for you this time of the year. “Besides,” asked Tim, “how many reindeer sweaters does one person REALLY need?”

Quick Polls

Quick Poll

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They are some of the most useful power tools in the shop.  Table saws can rip, crosscut and cut scads of different kinds of joints.

They can also represent a significant investment for the typical woodworker.  Many woodworkers have had to buy smaller, less capable saws and step up to beefier models.  Others may have inherited the well-used saws from friends or relatives.  Still other may own a larger saw for their shop and a smaller, more portable model for their field work.

However, it adds up, this week, we want to know how many table saws you have ever owned in your life. Be sure to count them all!

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