I was pleasantly reminded of my trip to Handworks in Amana, IA this week when I received an email from a man I met there, Doug.
I spoke with Doug for a while during the show. He had never used the type of tool that I make. He didn't know what they could do. In short order, he saw what he would be able to accomplish and was intrigued. Later, he won the door prize that I offered: a pair of #6s and a rabbet plane. He was very excited.
I was also happy because I knew the tools were going to a person that was interested in them and would use them.
Flash forward to this week--I received an email from doug with the following pictures:
Doug has completed a half set of hollows and rounds, a pair of snipes bills and a pair of side rounds.
Well done! (I bet his antique side bead and reverse ogee work great and were made to do so with only his newly acquired experience.)
Well, it's not quite "& Son" yet. The kid can't even make it through a simple morning of packing. Worthless.
Maybe he will last through this weekend's Lie-Nielsen Handtool Event and CVSW Open House in Manchester, CT. I will be one of many demonstrators. Have you seen the list of the other demonstrators?
The most intimidating part of making my first planes was the heat treating. When I started this hobby I never anticipated being bent over a pile of fire bricks in my driveway at dusk with a blowtorch in my hand and a pot of peanut oil at my side. That wasn't my intention, but it's where the hobby lead. (Check out Larry Williams' Dvd and, though the step may be intimidating, it's simple with the process he describes. But, I digress...)
The hardest part of making this type of tool is stamping the plane. Seriously. It's the only part that, after making a few dozen of these tools, I wasn't confident in the outcome.
Simply put, I never acquired the skill of swinging a 3 lb. sledge at my fingers with the force demanded to stamp my name on the end of a tall, thin piece of wood I spent 5 hours making and could ruin with one glancing blow (not to mention the ER trip if the blow should glance in the other direction). I didn't have the confidence.
I still remember practicing with my stamp until my shoulder was exhausted, trying again in an hour, and then, again, the next day. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that I was sent an example of what the stamp should look like when done correctly.
Let this video be a demonstration of using a maker's stamp and how I use it to this day. It will hopefully save you a lot of effort trying to execute under false pretenses (i.e. you have one swing).
Take note of the following:
1. I don't even try to mark the wood with a single blow. The first swing is focused on indenting the stamp enough on one end to give it something to register in for the second, third or eighth.
2. I have clamps on the vises so I don't destroy them (I wouldn't know how to match the pink paint on my face vice if I needed to replace it.) This process would be easier with a solid backer like a stump or anvil? OK, but this works fine.
3. You must be listening to music that has the proper punch.
Remember, a heavy hammer (sledge) is necessary. The purpose is to "damage" the wood, but with control. There is no reason to be displeased if you practice. There is no reason to post about your displeasure if you haven't.
Now I need to get back to the most intimidating part of this job, sharpening the remaining 50+ planes on my bench and getting them out the door.
Mitch, you're next! I promise, I haven't forgotten.
The Haddam Neck Woodworkers' Guild will be well represented at The Furniture Project, an annual show feature of The New England Home Show. Chris Boule was one of several makers accepted to display their work.
If you are one of the many to attend this show make sure you stop by and see his work. It will be worth your time. I'm going Thursday.
With the blessing of Larry Williams and permission of Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, I will be teaching this final class about making a pair of hollow/round planes. The process that Larry illustrates in his dvd will be heavily relied upon, but not used exclusively. As a result, much of the material in the class is copywritten and used with permission.
I am increasingly anxious for this week. Due to the small size of the class, 6 total (which is always the case at The Acanthus Workshop), the process may go quicker than has been indicated. In short, I don't know if it is a 5 day class or only a 2.5 day class.
I will be bringing extra material for any students that finish early to make a rabbet plane or fill in the gaps with my usual instruction with your new planes.
The class my be shorter in the future, but it will not likely be more available. A class of 6 people appears to be the perfect setting for this class.
I hope to see a few of you at one of the benches in these classes or at my bench at one of the shows. Check your schedules.
While children were getting on the bus to return to school and adults were heading back to the office on Wednesday, Sheldon and I headed up to Stow, MA to mill a log my friend had been eyeing on his property. Fortunately, he also has a woodmizer, a metal detector and a willingness to spin a single log a few dozen times to quartersaw wood by my definition, which isn't quite as stringent as Sheldon's.
Here is a picture that is representative of the quality of milling for every single piece that made it into the back of the truck.
And for the record, the entire log made it into the back of the truck. 10.5' long, 32" at the widest end and 26" at the other.
The wood is standing on end for the next few days while I pick out a color for the latex paint. Then the wait begins.
