tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58883262603156782432024-02-20T23:25:03.445-08:00Rope & Sawbryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-43875835539383198222011-11-01T22:32:00.000-07:002011-11-01T22:32:34.087-07:00College of the Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 10 and 11I wish I could say that the lack of writing was due to all the work I'm getting done on my project. I am spending a lot of time with it, but sometimes it seems like I'm moving forward slowly. Sometimes I move backwards. I can't believe that it has already been 11 weeks!<br />
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Week nine was an exercise in mistakes. I forgot to account for one of the angles in the compound angle on my leg, that caused some problems with the mortises I put in on the XY machine. After debating for a little while I decided to plug the mortises and drill them again. Soon after the eight plugs and eight new mortises I'm cutting a taper into the legs, moving right along... until I run the legs over the joiner and take it down right into one of my mortises. Basically I now have a hole where I don't want one. Well good thing I'm good at plugging mortises. Only four plugs and four new mortises to drill this time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qEyfK8XBH756f8s8oht1fEiUmTbfo0QP5JDNEyDWnXU0-0M4ukE6FqFQCAJRFeSsWCBa3BnZ35VQko4GY9pz8iw9SYR3YEQ7TsrtHBMWYNFV1o2NK8Rzzd07ahUadeKWMii19_wq5Z0/s1600/_MG_5963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qEyfK8XBH756f8s8oht1fEiUmTbfo0QP5JDNEyDWnXU0-0M4ukE6FqFQCAJRFeSsWCBa3BnZ35VQko4GY9pz8iw9SYR3YEQ7TsrtHBMWYNFV1o2NK8Rzzd07ahUadeKWMii19_wq5Z0/s640/_MG_5963.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan Wacker Setting up the XY Machine for his chair.</td></tr>
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I still find myself looking ahead. Though I'm enjoying the work my hands are doing I can easily get frustrated when I make a mistake, or when I think I'm going to slow. I forget that I'm learning, that working slow is ok, that making mistakes is part of the learning. The balance of fine craftsmanship with the curve of learning something new is hard to find sometimes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OB0yPE6yaujNwnsRq56RqzbEdYQkMVyBc5GejEWASupreb0XMwGdTNg_S_9gsigYXsqx9jRYSmO1EEGNyeGfAcPyEnUzHTupxQZfMFyrMLMvBAHd16t93kemnPKIKwD5CIiiodoRJNA/s1600/_MG_5999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OB0yPE6yaujNwnsRq56RqzbEdYQkMVyBc5GejEWASupreb0XMwGdTNg_S_9gsigYXsqx9jRYSmO1EEGNyeGfAcPyEnUzHTupxQZfMFyrMLMvBAHd16t93kemnPKIKwD5CIiiodoRJNA/s640/_MG_5999.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some satisfying planing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIcT5-nYqJE_qtqt_oSSzTTY2UvyZjeDJGEqDIN5vlIafzwDZAOUPsFr0IV61x2fSIn2YTCLr0S9eKDVtVtzeajhGsIz4RHLUF8syAYEvyu_blRdIvaneJ4SYRvw69ke9lBCgurPH0Do/s1600/_MG_6012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIcT5-nYqJE_qtqt_oSSzTTY2UvyZjeDJGEqDIN5vlIafzwDZAOUPsFr0IV61x2fSIn2YTCLr0S9eKDVtVtzeajhGsIz4RHLUF8syAYEvyu_blRdIvaneJ4SYRvw69ke9lBCgurPH0Do/s640/_MG_6012.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some nice shavings.</td></tr>
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The first project was completed this past week. Carlos' bench is beautiful and crafted very well. Congratulations Carlos, and nice work!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carlos' bench.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carlos and his son Kevin.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A drawing exercise by Adam.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">In addition to our lectures on various woodworking techniques, Laura has been teaching some drawing techniques as well. They've been great lessons, and are going to be a big help with designing pieces in the future.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkjsWyzO-PY03BE1LN17A3q1SYbBUKoZx78bJAa80Dz2S-8TOUHLPv9XFgh6T6YLS248l1Y9wgSyjs_LqblgU2L9wm5H5pJS6gTsy_GyX70PBm4gB-H4pww0BMxZqVwuA0QxlcKXHxq0/s1600/_MG_6052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkjsWyzO-PY03BE1LN17A3q1SYbBUKoZx78bJAa80Dz2S-8TOUHLPv9XFgh6T6YLS248l1Y9wgSyjs_LqblgU2L9wm5H5pJS6gTsy_GyX70PBm4gB-H4pww0BMxZqVwuA0QxlcKXHxq0/s640/_MG_6052.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura conducting a drawing class.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An exercise by Natch.</td></tr>
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</div>bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-60442043617781665702011-10-16T21:50:00.000-07:002011-10-16T22:02:45.871-07:00College of The Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 9<div class="MsoNormal"> I spent Monday rethinking my jig for boring out the mortises in my bench legs. It wasn’t really complicated, but amazingly took up most of the day. I guess I am working slower with my recent handicap. I brought the thickness of my legs down a bit in order to remove a bit of sap-wood and then re-did my jig based on the new dimensions. That Carpenters song,<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjFoQxjgbrs"> Rainy Days and Mondays</a> was stuck in my head all day.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BAUHoWxE04MHXg5vR1WFoNoppncOrcfWnFYSZ6TIkWalXloTzMlecYGhyphenhyphenVNtZCF-sOOnfT0OBVxWe55G0v2PwqbbKsxvDREAeJG5os8BzF7aXRK6sH4V4iJEXs5C_kKziiyV9eRL41U/s1600/_MG_5945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BAUHoWxE04MHXg5vR1WFoNoppncOrcfWnFYSZ6TIkWalXloTzMlecYGhyphenhyphenVNtZCF-sOOnfT0OBVxWe55G0v2PwqbbKsxvDREAeJG5os8BzF7aXRK6sH4V4iJEXs5C_kKziiyV9eRL41U/s640/_MG_5945.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnny and Tom hard at work.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Since I won’t have my full grip strength back for a little while yet, on Tuesday Laura gave me the go ahead to use the XY machine for my mortises. Dan Wacker showed me how to set all the various stops on it and after a fair amount of setup I was ready to cut my mortises. Well, the machine was ready. I was feeling a bit anxious to be cutting into my “real” wood, my walnut. This isn’t a mock up anymore, if I made my jig wrong or if I set the stops a little off there’s no going back. Despite the ease of using the XY machine and the fact that I don’t smoke, I felt like I needed a cigarette after making those 8 mortises. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_dLsswg8pd59ZF1feAJ95FX7UJhmoreJLdVpZCWwbFtQaVeJqppy9-DuFfngdNQifdl_KqIVB5h1GXqr0iv7g-qgLSyqpP2G01Dd6BK6XF0c_NB5CKezagYhIX9Puni0EwmRbgDzTtg/s1600/_MG_5939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_dLsswg8pd59ZF1feAJ95FX7UJhmoreJLdVpZCWwbFtQaVeJqppy9-DuFfngdNQifdl_KqIVB5h1GXqr0iv7g-qgLSyqpP2G01Dd6BK6XF0c_NB5CKezagYhIX9Puni0EwmRbgDzTtg/s640/_MG_5939.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mollie working the Oliver bandsaw.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"> On Wednesday I found that compound angles are directly correlated to compound headaches. Man this is confusing. I need my mortises to run parallel to my bench top for maximum strength, I need the legs to sit in a particular order so as the grain graphics feel and look right. I need each leg to sit of 10 degrees parallel to the bench and also 7.5 degrees perpendicular to the bench. And the feet of the legs must be parallel to their tops. None of that actually makes sense to me either, and after looking at trigonometry equations for five seconds I understood why David told me I was doing it wrong. This isn’t math; it’s woodworking. It’s about the wood, seeing what looks right, not calculating it. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCHbqPFLCvSX7mfqGqMYg2nyavApM6DjLCq5VD_QYgQX9WI2stLJRo1u6Ck_NOnLHrXjZN1YOKhBZw1M-T_eCD-fzPrkb0ScWb4btcauiASibBwv9Iqbwde41U7qLQKvCA9v4CxZYYuA/s1600/_MG_5919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCHbqPFLCvSX7mfqGqMYg2nyavApM6DjLCq5VD_QYgQX9WI2stLJRo1u6Ck_NOnLHrXjZN1YOKhBZw1M-T_eCD-fzPrkb0ScWb4btcauiASibBwv9Iqbwde41U7qLQKvCA9v4CxZYYuA/s640/_MG_5919.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Derek demonstrating proper homage before using his Japanese dovetail saw.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"> On Thursday I’m in front of the table saw most of the morning. After about 17 trial and error cuts I know how to get the compound angles in the legs. Make cut 1 with blue tape up, turn the leg 180 degrees and then either rotate in or out depending on where it’s supposed to sit on the bench. Don’t ask me why that worked. I have no idea, it just did.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> David brought in a cabinet made by Krenov on Friday. It was inspiring to hear more stories of the man who many of us are indebted to for helping to find our way into woodworking. It was even more inspiring to see and handle his work. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ699HZEtk1P1j-Oagvo-hHiP52uGLjJPncsZCtG6QjFmbI_eCLnHoU_vNqDOO9JtP9UE46UwGlKBrNP-kr3KPqOHzOsGuP2RJxA8koAWgle4Pyvj6zLDRkzLRGzi5i7fbbOnMRQfKGcA/s1600/_MG_5896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ699HZEtk1P1j-Oagvo-hHiP52uGLjJPncsZCtG6QjFmbI_eCLnHoU_vNqDOO9JtP9UE46UwGlKBrNP-kr3KPqOHzOsGuP2RJxA8koAWgle4Pyvj6zLDRkzLRGzi5i7fbbOnMRQfKGcA/s640/_MG_5896.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A James Krenov cabinet.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">For a few weeks I’ve been telling myself I need to stop and take some time to reflect upon what I’m doing and how I’m being affected by it. It’s clear I’m learning and my skills are improving, ever so slowly. But how am I outside of the shop being affected by what I do in the shop? </div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">I’ve found myself looking to the “next”; the next step, the next cut, the next project. Almost everything I’ve done in the shop has been centered in the idea of a finished piece of furniture, my finished bench. This is something I’ve experienced in climbing too, always moving in my mind to the next move, to the next pitch, and with that movement the focus rests on the top, the summit, the end. Summits, fine pieces of furniture- they’re great things, but being a woodworker or being a climber does not happen in that passing moment of completion. It is happening in every breath before that. I want to be more present in the movement of my plane, not the step I’m trying to move on from. What is the value of my work if I am always trying to move away from what it is that I’m doing? The movements, the feelings, and the thoughts that come from this craft are what have drawn me to it. It would be a great loss to always look past them, even those moments of frustration or dismay. It’s those moments of challenge that make the process that much more worthy, that make room for growth as an aspiring woodworker. I hope in this next week I won’t be thinking so much of completing tasks, but of being present in them.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"Comrades of the [shop]! I call upon you to bear me witness. When have we felt ourselves happy men?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Anotione de Saint-Exupery</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Wind, Sand and Stars</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxej4NJvLadQFjipjjfAwDdN7gYPDtMiWV55qhAs0v3AQdohotgf_zm-HIDE6mFDfhqa_C_KgUyPE5JahCYEIB4ZwDexlwPZfSB4tk7h6cOt1plHLvOqMbDfknZDRzas1N1xTouBO_3w/s1600/_MG_5947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxej4NJvLadQFjipjjfAwDdN7gYPDtMiWV55qhAs0v3AQdohotgf_zm-HIDE6mFDfhqa_C_KgUyPE5JahCYEIB4ZwDexlwPZfSB4tk7h6cOt1plHLvOqMbDfknZDRzas1N1xTouBO_3w/s640/_MG_5947.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnny being present in his dovetails.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWwQrGok-R6Dx9oZlR92gX9QGtKsiaqvcEYbhsdTaSsIuqAJG8DQYrbr9bVmLMI7IGpMhyNvptNCGb-DUNE2FFUfi_NSerK6fk8uZQca8OfdmWr6fdQb7mAbQU4yWIrH5gUYjQtWYWYg/s1600/_MG_5953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWwQrGok-R6Dx9oZlR92gX9QGtKsiaqvcEYbhsdTaSsIuqAJG8DQYrbr9bVmLMI7IGpMhyNvptNCGb-DUNE2FFUfi_NSerK6fk8uZQca8OfdmWr6fdQb7mAbQU4yWIrH5gUYjQtWYWYg/s640/_MG_5953.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pieces to my piece as they are now.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-92088573707421805612011-10-16T15:57:00.000-07:002011-10-16T16:05:05.940-07:00College of The Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 8I'm trying to catch up with a late post here. I feel like I've been trying to play catch up after a pretty dang slow week 8. I was feeling pretty good Monday morning, glad I hadn't gone to the Hardly Strictly festival in San Francisco and worn myself out, and generally looking forward to getting a lot done in the coming days. I spent most of the day working on a jig for boring out my mortises in the legs for my bench. There was a bit of head scratching in trying to configure the thing with the martises having a 7.5 degree tilt and so that I could duplicate the cut 8 times.<br />
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The shop here is ran with very safe guidelines and principles, and the machines are maintained to high standards by the skilled hands of David Welter. David does a great job communicating with us the ins and outs of what we're using and is always happy to help figure out how to do a tricky cuts. There is alway the wild card of operator error, and unfortunately on Monday afternoon while working on my mortises I did a little boring on my left index finger as well. No fault of anyones but myself and the jig I'd put together. I spent a few hours at the ER with the good company of Chris Lesser getting stitched up. More than anything I was pretty dang pissed off that I messed up. I've always felt I stay aware of what I'm doing, but now I'm even doubly aware. Have respect for those machines!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOpz_ytkc-bf4f3t-nHr-aHeBQeep39g2QxEo7nOE808mdztx58q7HyepU2HEgWOezOtOTb3M7aiuTDQVUO9TruDohFMAsewDRS8lQxqYkxMJ5igbX7AsAwKLQO2PesXGjkUwFlAhkww/s1600/IMG_0306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOpz_ytkc-bf4f3t-nHr-aHeBQeep39g2QxEo7nOE808mdztx58q7HyepU2HEgWOezOtOTb3M7aiuTDQVUO9TruDohFMAsewDRS8lQxqYkxMJ5igbX7AsAwKLQO2PesXGjkUwFlAhkww/s640/IMG_0306.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A big bandage for only five stitches.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RzwcM9NvRKxq8p8wd0WLlmOQTRNY3kDIgXVj4EL9Kuh0JgreSjsuSKIOLFoODW7rj6n43A3xD1Dsf1UQDNgEAGaz_9-A7vC13hI1ViWkiBgzlv4-XeLbX9-Q3FO5Bc4-1qaw2GWy9cU/s1600/IMG_0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RzwcM9NvRKxq8p8wd0WLlmOQTRNY3kDIgXVj4EL9Kuh0JgreSjsuSKIOLFoODW7rj6n43A3xD1Dsf1UQDNgEAGaz_9-A7vC13hI1ViWkiBgzlv4-XeLbX9-Q3FO5Bc4-1qaw2GWy9cU/s640/IMG_0321.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five days later, healing up pretty well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The rest of the week passed pretty slowly. I couldn't do much with my hand for a few days. I sharpened all my tools, practiced some dovetails and walked around looking at everyone else's projects. There are some cool things being put together.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPol5oNxxPM-Wn8DHU83vYwfxX383qDknp4dCfeFkw7NOuWdrat4UZL231AbvYIMnel9JLrulixFpLAsXE3lvqW-8X3j65aDOQr-ZxX0gyDODiPxrIfehyphenhyphenKx7WMWs7dUFwTG2Yw0dlL4/s1600/IMG_0317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPol5oNxxPM-Wn8DHU83vYwfxX383qDknp4dCfeFkw7NOuWdrat4UZL231AbvYIMnel9JLrulixFpLAsXE3lvqW-8X3j65aDOQr-ZxX0gyDODiPxrIfehyphenhyphenKx7WMWs7dUFwTG2Yw0dlL4/s1600/IMG_0317.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post beach nap time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-3219569992494820882011-10-04T11:29:00.000-07:002011-10-04T11:30:48.396-07:00College of The Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 7<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I'm back to my bench first thing Monday morning. More and more people are cutting into the wood for their projects. Some four-letter words have been bouncing around in the machine room after one cut or another. After looking at several boards of walnut and wearing my shoulder sore planing on them to see what was hidden beneath all the oxidization I’ve finally decided on a board. Behind all the other boards of walnut in the back corner of the wood room, there is one board that I’d overlooked, one mammoth piece of walnut, 3 inches thick and 7 feet tall. I could get my box, my bench top, and maybe my legs out of this one piece. I get David Welters blessing and am cutting it down with a bow saw minutes later. My next four months will be committed this piece of wood. Heck, that’s longer than most of my romances.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0wzHQO_WF5v7ze8lB3huYl0tR1oDxX9Ps8gxEOfzpdpy-L8SP17ndAHm_TdOC6MkOH8o1kNUrwWLfgUqPa1pSgZ84VsM8FE6mnF_0JZQPtEb86YWbWnet0gqRgkxH3RFXc87tkzaLbM/s1600/_MG_5832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0wzHQO_WF5v7ze8lB3huYl0tR1oDxX9Ps8gxEOfzpdpy-L8SP17ndAHm_TdOC6MkOH8o1kNUrwWLfgUqPa1pSgZ84VsM8FE6mnF_0JZQPtEb86YWbWnet0gqRgkxH3RFXc87tkzaLbM/s640/_MG_5832.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Piece of Walnut.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqq7ZsgazV8__oDs41njgqoh9QowWokbH95w68rrGIPkhYD5gGSHd6HRip24p97ZQvWCwAgttCNUCQ_s_-8sWedVW9uHoEXjfOsskHuqt-ZROjJFibU59BwHzc_PfgpaFyrbR2ngLA7Uc/s1600/_MG_5836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqq7ZsgazV8__oDs41njgqoh9QowWokbH95w68rrGIPkhYD5gGSHd6HRip24p97ZQvWCwAgttCNUCQ_s_-8sWedVW9uHoEXjfOsskHuqt-ZROjJFibU59BwHzc_PfgpaFyrbR2ngLA7Uc/s640/_MG_5836.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After cutting it into a more manageable size.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Now that I’m committed to a piece of wood it’s time to really cut into it. After cutting it down with the bow saw it’s time to resaw it and see what the grain is doing in there. I’m going to cut the wood along its length horizontally and split the section of wood for my bench top from the section used for the box. I wonder what the wood is doing there, inches under its surface. What does it look like? There is neither a bandsaw nor a jointer in the shop big enough for my board at 16 inches wide. So it’s off to Brian Newells shop with Laura to use his massive 24-inch jointer and his 36-inch Oliver bandsaw. It takes an eternal 15 minutes to ever so slowly resaw it on the bandsaw. And then it’s there, the colors and grain that will make up my bench. It’s a different board than I thought. And it is beautiful too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5x_DJ_VHwuXnBmwXRL1pcsNG96DvKEC6UWj5qGTlERmTARK1PBnK4SVg9dF1xtWhGgmnpXZFjw-0vvUbB_x3hpMcBAWBAEQTvqDZZGlDeCLTLOz8-M9Z0KoDInXq7amGOZFyYGbw0M8/s1600/_MG_5876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5x_DJ_VHwuXnBmwXRL1pcsNG96DvKEC6UWj5qGTlERmTARK1PBnK4SVg9dF1xtWhGgmnpXZFjw-0vvUbB_x3hpMcBAWBAEQTvqDZZGlDeCLTLOz8-M9Z0KoDInXq7amGOZFyYGbw0M8/s640/_MG_5876.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Wednesday. I woke up at 2 am thinking about the grain graphics of my wood. I have a feeling that this kind of thing is going to happen more and more. My board sits on my bench, split into 4 pieces. A bench top, box carcass, and legs. I don’t know what to do with it now. I do know, I just don’t know that I’m ready to start running it through all the blades. There’s no going back. I’m living in apprehension of my next cut.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXntHIgwM9Sjz_n_L3fWP_iKSb5hfeO-3lMzvEmzOpXTQ7M-mnYSCaYm2ANA0sa08LZxHvFU3ROBSdM38j14QNyBTnBKCOzQ6T0-_kkVZ78Ye8l59CetWSR-U2RDzxMpQPCi0w9Tl3Puc/s1600/_MG_5847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXntHIgwM9Sjz_n_L3fWP_iKSb5hfeO-3lMzvEmzOpXTQ7M-mnYSCaYm2ANA0sa08LZxHvFU3ROBSdM38j14QNyBTnBKCOzQ6T0-_kkVZ78Ye8l59CetWSR-U2RDzxMpQPCi0w9Tl3Puc/s640/_MG_5847.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There may be some legs in there somewhere...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Thursday and Welter stops by for some honey roasted peanuts at my bench. It’s my secret strategy to keep snacks out. I get more bench visits. While pouring out some peanuts Welter asks me how I think through tenons will work with my piece. Damn. I was pretty set on them, but I’ll think hard about them now. I cut a leg out too. Not going to work. Back to the wood room to get another board that's more riff sawn and straight grained. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfJPN4Coq-dpUD2wf8JjBmUiwGRkby04R9pwq_s2wAu5v6ZiJQ7sMUkwqohvzYt2OT9ucNdtYMa7-NpS9oxD4qrJ5C2Z6n4G_3-ttlGCBWZ13EDgicHwY8UTw8-oH07Lc4twvn05KKgw/s1600/_MG_5870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfJPN4Coq-dpUD2wf8JjBmUiwGRkby04R9pwq_s2wAu5v6ZiJQ7sMUkwqohvzYt2OT9ucNdtYMa7-NpS9oxD4qrJ5C2Z6n4G_3-ttlGCBWZ13EDgicHwY8UTw8-oH07Lc4twvn05KKgw/s640/_MG_5870.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darrick looking into some wood.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Friday and I’m getting Welter’s blessing on another board and then into the machine room to cut it up with the jigsaw. My bench is looking a bit overwhelmed with all this walnut. And I’m doing loose tenons. Welter was right (no surprise there), the through tenons don’t seem like they work with my piece. And when it came down to it I wanted to do them for the sake of them, not for what they would add to my bench. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hank getting a bath with V8 after meeting a skunk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"> The rest of the afternoon and Saturday I’m working up jigs for the mortises on my legs and bench. The overall concepts and purposes of joinery stay the same, but how it’s achieved is different for every piece. I’m going from moments of “oh shit” to “ah ha!” and “oh…okay.” </div>bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-20932696756799204012011-09-25T18:46:00.000-07:002011-09-25T18:46:40.534-07:00College of The Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> I can't believe that I've been here for six weeks, that of the past 42 days 35 of them have been spent inside the wood-shop, on the machines and at my bench. Time moves differently here. For me it is not measured so much in hours or days, in the hands of a clock, but in the movement of my hand. The building of a plane or the cutting of some dovetails each marks a passing moment. Then it all begins to meld together and I only know Sundays simply because I am not in the shop. This morning I woke to the sound of bandsaws and tablesaws in my mind. Dreaming again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkmfHUFElB27myLDRIULyn6RTWiQV8rcJsfGK1w99VjyVzOpK3i9oOs6OVlDQ8yb9AjDgIWftOaF_AZPQYAexoeeRRbmTMYKzX_UULYrFNV05UvD1csz323dV0H3iUBG9vZFwxKFL64c/s1600/_MG_5778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkmfHUFElB27myLDRIULyn6RTWiQV8rcJsfGK1w99VjyVzOpK3i9oOs6OVlDQ8yb9AjDgIWftOaF_AZPQYAexoeeRRbmTMYKzX_UULYrFNV05UvD1csz323dV0H3iUBG9vZFwxKFL64c/s640/_MG_5778.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shorts day at the shop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Everyone's getting into their projects now. Drawing, making cardboard mock ups. Changing the height of this or the thickness of that. Thinking about wood other than poplar, that wood that lends itself so humbly for our learning. Darrick has been living in the wood room recently, only coming out for air when there is a board he'd like to look at in a different light and to take a few shavings off in order to discover what there might be in the wood. Teak, Madrone, Bay Laurel, Cuban Mahagony, Walnut, Oak, Maple, I could go on and on. I think Darrick has seen them all in the shape of his handsome wall cabinet. And some are already cutting into their wood, finding things they did not expect; a beautiful grain pattern, or a bunch of insect holes. Roger's finding some of his apple was already host to something else before he got to it. He'll make it work though.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmmgWgAownVoxcxTmlnbgSJ5eDxT-8D5g_0pC3dc55c7UzY0p1jQ3oQlf2i0k5iPmLSuPOxAD7moHCEt2NPIZPV3RepvtmmqFGBzcedEbBN-s-mxjNR0N7NxJD7qOyOWkmQKUPebIins/s1600/_MG_5787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmmgWgAownVoxcxTmlnbgSJ5eDxT-8D5g_0pC3dc55c7UzY0p1jQ3oQlf2i0k5iPmLSuPOxAD7moHCEt2NPIZPV3RepvtmmqFGBzcedEbBN-s-mxjNR0N7NxJD7qOyOWkmQKUPebIins/s640/_MG_5787.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam Vorath, from NYC( by way of Iowa and Florida...)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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I spent the first few days of the week alternating between sketching, flipping through design books and past students projects, and coming up with a mock up. I've found out I'm quite taken with modern Scandinavian design. I'm also surprised to find myself mocking up not a cabinet, but a bench of sorts. I thought that I would definitely be working on a wall cabinet for scotch or tea this first semester. I think I'll be using walnut.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7x3FmC6HRe-oyef994CaTTmMGc2AdWBJTvbmNKNemCIhumBdv49-VlVGBixU48z7yHcy335LRh62kOx4ab4U_5ui_xQXPMq4HoshP3J8C90K0tkgwMjsHJMUyAAjvamGrLrMBw88qnc/s1600/_MG_5766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7x3FmC6HRe-oyef994CaTTmMGc2AdWBJTvbmNKNemCIhumBdv49-VlVGBixU48z7yHcy335LRh62kOx4ab4U_5ui_xQXPMq4HoshP3J8C90K0tkgwMjsHJMUyAAjvamGrLrMBw88qnc/s400/_MG_5766.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various stages of my mock up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Don't worry mom, we're not getting too picky with the wood. See? We still build stuff from pallet board on Sundays.I feel a bit like Antoine de Saint-Exupery before his first flight as a mail carrier. I've learned what I need to take off, but there is a great unknown before me, an unknown filled with legends of past students work much like the legends of mountains and storms that towered in Exupery's mind before he took off on a rainy night. "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000066; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The magic of the craft has opened for me a world in which I shall confront, within two hours, the black dragons and the crowned crests of a coma of blue lightnings, and when night has fallen I, delivered, shall read my course in the stars." </span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Don't worry mom, we're not getting too picky with the wood. See? We still build stuff from free pallet boards in our spare time on Sundays.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chase working in a "looser" manner than in class.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-21862663584352787742011-09-20T08:33:00.000-07:002011-09-20T08:33:39.180-07:00College of The Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 5<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>387</o:Words> <o:Characters>2211</o:Characters> <o:Lines>18</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>2715</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>11.1282</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:UseMarginsForDrawingGridOrigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Week 5</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The week started out with some unusual excitement. Wacker was out behind the shop steam bending in the typical Fort Bragg fog when a man in full fatigues toting an assault rifle rambled up out of the ravine and then beckoned for Wacker. There was a brief moment of panic as Wacker debated between running before he realized it was a SWAT team member, and not the murderer they’ve been looking around for. The rest of the afternoon we had a SWAT team patrolling the land east of the shop. Wacker didn’t go back to his steam bending.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SWAT team members looking for the bad guy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The main exercise of the week was coopering, or putting a curve into a board. There are various ways to achieve a subtle curve in a board; one of them involves cutting the board into several staves with a slight angle on each surface and then jointing them back together. There was some minor trepidation as we realized this was like jointing the Prefect Board, only on angles and five or so times. Surprisingly the exercise went pretty smoothly for the class. Once the boards were glued up the sharp angles were taken out with our newly made coopering planes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It was with relief, excitement and perhaps some nervousness that the lecture and exercise phase of the class ended with coopering. A few of us celebrated by burning our Sows Ears cabinets at the Elephant on Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hours upon hours of work put to flames and turned to ashes. It’s not so much for the physicality of things that I think most of us are working. It’s to learn and to do. The value of the work put into my Sows Ear will carry me into future pieces, and into myself as I learn both new skills and how to work well. I do hope the products of my efforts will be pleasing to the eye, but I hope more for pleasantness within me as I move forward in woodworking. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMgzRZCrqkDsdsUWdMnSEfPcSvn7IcFIJ7zpWACUbrrcqBNqGhA5t4jsSta_WPp4MvDq3LliU5MfNORvZUv_KuTegrAYYm_BW1NzgqOxVxIJLIhgnaWDil7-28NKVGuQG-N_oCGyZzNg/s1600/_MG_5699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMgzRZCrqkDsdsUWdMnSEfPcSvn7IcFIJ7zpWACUbrrcqBNqGhA5t4jsSta_WPp4MvDq3LliU5MfNORvZUv_KuTegrAYYm_BW1NzgqOxVxIJLIhgnaWDil7-28NKVGuQG-N_oCGyZzNg/s640/_MG_5699.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Sows Ear Cabinet in the flames.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">With the end of the lecture phase various people started moving forward on their projects, designing, putting up cardboard mock-ups, and piecing together fir as they began the process of figuring out what they’d like to make and how to execute it. To see the pieces of furniture that have come from classes before ours is daunting while fully knowing we too will be attempting such fine things with our hands, and surprising that despite ourselves we will actually create such fine things. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISLD0WfzDblDhSgxoEnxhHshoXBjMeT-OCkV9CUX5UOekrgMLNb8wrkE3v9Odqhfg1kH0rRRUnSeOcMCYiAM5cNfk4BlgBGSO_xF6APjHGB5hJ8iJflwwaZhpgrFPbbWWXD9wKYGwi_8/s1600/_MG_5672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISLD0WfzDblDhSgxoEnxhHshoXBjMeT-OCkV9CUX5UOekrgMLNb8wrkE3v9Odqhfg1kH0rRRUnSeOcMCYiAM5cNfk4BlgBGSO_xF6APjHGB5hJ8iJflwwaZhpgrFPbbWWXD9wKYGwi_8/s640/_MG_5672.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anton working on a mock up.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>60</o:Words> <o:Characters>342</o:Characters> <o:Lines>2</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>420</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>11.1282</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:UseMarginsForDrawingGridOrigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OkWn8V5ByKWgnR7fo7SWXYpII3YzlbIgpANtReHGnXa82BgRiVQCB7J2cbFJ2-Xgi23cXSakVKp9ZfeD0Ry9Y5AJYNmyLIseu6Y6tAbz0Z8469pRZKJLU9g7WN0TTziXUNmuSw9MeFc/s1600/IMG_0268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OkWn8V5ByKWgnR7fo7SWXYpII3YzlbIgpANtReHGnXa82BgRiVQCB7J2cbFJ2-Xgi23cXSakVKp9ZfeD0Ry9Y5AJYNmyLIseu6Y6tAbz0Z8469pRZKJLU9g7WN0TTziXUNmuSw9MeFc/s640/IMG_0268.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poster in the bar, the Golden West.</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">I have yet to come to what I’d like to make, but its presence is felt in my mind. In the still, unfilled, moments of the day, before I fall asleep or just as I’m waking up I find my thoughts moving over cabinets and such, shaping their size and moving drawers here and there. I think these thoughts used to fall on girls and mountains, but there is not much of either in Fort Bragg, so it’s thoughts of furniture.</div><!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment-->bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-22514481493762922822011-09-12T08:48:00.000-07:002011-09-12T08:52:36.537-07:00College of The Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">The short week following Labor Day went by just as fast and as slow as the previous weeks. And by a short week, I mean most of us in the class had a few hours on Monday when we did not go into the shop. I was bummed to not end up in Yosemite for a couple of days. For now my climbing fix will have to be crumbly beach rock. I’ve taped a <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200304A19.html">Obata</a> dyed woodblock of El Cap in my tool cabinet to try and keep me pysched to stay in some sort of climbing shape while I work in wood here.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68dCUYiZy7BsXVm-kvKSlm1vjmk5zc2r2cZ_iCG7ZYnvxrXi-xZpXCyxQjOPhfnUpBmWVWwX-51gBPeSsAt9JOkhgUzm1hBrA3IkCEzEHBaDTUdzSylJnnvAmiHWLcJe8GkrM22aAK10/s1600/_MG_5603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68dCUYiZy7BsXVm-kvKSlm1vjmk5zc2r2cZ_iCG7ZYnvxrXi-xZpXCyxQjOPhfnUpBmWVWwX-51gBPeSsAt9JOkhgUzm1hBrA3IkCEzEHBaDTUdzSylJnnvAmiHWLcJe8GkrM22aAK10/s640/_MG_5603.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Capitan and Chisels. Normally the two don't mix.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I worked on my frame and panel, glued up my sows ear cabinet, had some time practicing more dovetails and learned ordering new woodworking tools is just like ordering new climbing equipment. Someone else opens your box, and at least five people have ogled your new tool before you get to it, and then you get to hear everyone’s opinion on push vs. pull saws. I’m taking to marking my tools in the same way I mark my climbing gear. I’m not worried about anyone taking anything, but working in the shop is like climbing at Indian Creek. There’s about fifteen three-inch Starrett squares floating around the shop and I inevitably leave mine here or there and there’s high potential for something to move around. It’s like letting Marc or Ben “help” you sort your rack. Better count your Attaches, number twos and runners. So tomorrow my squares get a dot of red nail polish, and my pencils get marked with “XXX”. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCt3RLx8hxhSYqVeUoRvS90u-u7B_EIhea3jxafhLMDW3LZT_yHNi0-E22QiMqaEzrV4qwndrimQFk2XzvXBPjvhDzsequ9a1pevOPzCxBcNGaByhJFNkgwx1wFICQiZ83ldc4ua88_k/s1600/_MG_5605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCt3RLx8hxhSYqVeUoRvS90u-u7B_EIhea3jxafhLMDW3LZT_yHNi0-E22QiMqaEzrV4qwndrimQFk2XzvXBPjvhDzsequ9a1pevOPzCxBcNGaByhJFNkgwx1wFICQiZ83ldc4ua88_k/s640/_MG_5605.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My jointing plane and some stiles to a frame and panel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I also learned that when Budlong says you could make something a little bit bigger, he’s probably thinking in 32nds, or 64ths, not eighths. This guy can see that you’ve got a gap less than a 128<sup>th</sup> from ten feet away. A 16<sup>th</sup> is the difference between having to grind your new plane iron to fit or not, and one paring too much with your chisel ruins your nice dovetail fit. Budlong sees it all, and almost before you do it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhru_N4nhYCnusTGRdpRi2XsSrQ_lcsMHDLrEeWtEaOz_zc882F4euKeGEqqNhyphenhyphen3mPJUEGSI6sAFfuH9oKtQUJoYepuprQhFe890OUYLQl-Y0OV8IvujyAGs08XoADW7lEqeMEZe5dvkuQ/s1600/_MG_5651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhru_N4nhYCnusTGRdpRi2XsSrQ_lcsMHDLrEeWtEaOz_zc882F4euKeGEqqNhyphenhyphen3mPJUEGSI6sAFfuH9oKtQUJoYepuprQhFe890OUYLQl-Y0OV8IvujyAGs08XoADW7lEqeMEZe5dvkuQ/s640/_MG_5651.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steam Bending for Dan Wackers mock up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">So despite the comparison of Fort Bragg to prison by Adam, there are other things going on from time to time other than just woodworking. There’s been a pretty intense Volleyball rivalry between the east and west side of the shop, and I’m happy to say the east side is leading the match. I’m on the east side. I guess though that is just like prison blocks out in the yard…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOqL9m1I_m7zQ4V7s_mV9oPl7bKJUpNH9orvZCQIWjntaN0-eezjKN1sQUFdeRjStQupk8PbhzDgpJhcdoJNZUisb94668Exe5zPYG4zVRvl7Ow3J_aIegL2tWuvezdHhAPQJ_nzGwMw/s1600/IMG_0216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOqL9m1I_m7zQ4V7s_mV9oPl7bKJUpNH9orvZCQIWjntaN0-eezjKN1sQUFdeRjStQupk8PbhzDgpJhcdoJNZUisb94668Exe5zPYG4zVRvl7Ow3J_aIegL2tWuvezdHhAPQJ_nzGwMw/s400/IMG_0216.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anton post Volleyball.</td></tr>
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Friday nights are the weekly Elephant, a gathering of students past and present, other woodworkers, beer and food. This week Jim Watkins, a student from last years summer class came in with coolers of beer and food for both the Elephant and for our house. And a rice cooker. Generosity is an understatement. Last year Jim very well saved Chase’s and I’s life by making us stay with him at his house after he saw where we were staying. The Wildwood campground is a place where social services won’t go without an escort and the police wont go without backup. The bars and stars fly from fifth wheels surrounded by pallet board fences and there were far less teeth than there should have been. We spent this past Saturday night and Sunday having a blast hanging out with Jim, talking wood and furniture.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Hank and I head to the beach every so often. He needs to get some energy out since he can’t jump the fence and run all over town any more. Chasing seagulls seems to be second to cats.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejtJUiDZWP5FfCnTsU9-2tRMUbVhaYU8k1zD1LNIunq2D1rTlICek5JyYVCh1sNCZEclUuPyx5PvvzCknZsPbqCgBpE5J7Z4fKGPS-78_28RYgbV4JSJRvkAmC8OCLZ4ruejSdCBb53I/s1600/IMG_0247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejtJUiDZWP5FfCnTsU9-2tRMUbVhaYU8k1zD1LNIunq2D1rTlICek5JyYVCh1sNCZEclUuPyx5PvvzCknZsPbqCgBpE5J7Z4fKGPS-78_28RYgbV4JSJRvkAmC8OCLZ4ruejSdCBb53I/s640/IMG_0247.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hank Chasing a Seagull.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP03EjyCxwYbcrxkqBAaK_i2QT2OvrFfCNC41PR2h3oeqDgftEHHHOD04R_3Kd-5Sp_BeqeLpZqQu88aVlIoj7ESoQDP4kBB56FvzmlCBENt9tTIOc3C_dQmoG4FEZgpGNdpK1x4xUHI/s1600/IMG_0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP03EjyCxwYbcrxkqBAaK_i2QT2OvrFfCNC41PR2h3oeqDgftEHHHOD04R_3Kd-5Sp_BeqeLpZqQu88aVlIoj7ESoQDP4kBB56FvzmlCBENt9tTIOc3C_dQmoG4FEZgpGNdpK1x4xUHI/s640/IMG_0246.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__tFMntZjFBETFJpmDowrX9FtrXmO6fSPu7_UOaipJBrCczX-nJQm0gyN47phGAKGJOXV4nTcOtdHF_siZTkFAl7zrsw4ML3dxW7EDxuPEPORT75yMEfzc-0rwPiRwTlNILs-PDl7j9Q/s1600/IMG_0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__tFMntZjFBETFJpmDowrX9FtrXmO6fSPu7_UOaipJBrCczX-nJQm0gyN47phGAKGJOXV4nTcOtdHF_siZTkFAl7zrsw4ML3dxW7EDxuPEPORT75yMEfzc-0rwPiRwTlNILs-PDl7j9Q/s640/IMG_0206.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hank post beach nap.</td></tr>
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</div>bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-17305484254208096352011-09-04T19:53:00.000-07:002011-09-04T19:53:00.834-07:00College of The Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 3 <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>498</o:Words> <o:Characters>2844</o:Characters> <o:Lines>23</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>3492</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>11.1282</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:UseMarginsForDrawingGridOrigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Week 3</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Another week has passed by. I try to think back at what I’ve done and it doesn’t seem like much, but somehow every day has been filled with about 9 hours of work either at my bench or in the machine room. Calling a single day off per week a weekend isn’t right. Maybe I’ll just call it Laundry/Nap day as that’s about all that happens.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6T0jOUiH5jnkAldS5nzacQW9sjbnJ455ub9j5lC5J0KN8MWJM8jBmrXGqo8ytIXUYAYkWTzDZgnE28MqH5HA_3Uq577bWtrDcEUIzC0hKvL7HqjumN3oA7OkRv5R019QXVoN6Qw3eLic/s1600/_MG_5568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6T0jOUiH5jnkAldS5nzacQW9sjbnJ455ub9j5lC5J0KN8MWJM8jBmrXGqo8ytIXUYAYkWTzDZgnE28MqH5HA_3Uq577bWtrDcEUIzC0hKvL7HqjumN3oA7OkRv5R019QXVoN6Qw3eLic/s640/_MG_5568.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture of me, as per requested by my mom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">8 am Monday and I’m back at my bench staring down some dovetails and hoping that I can complete the first set without having to sharpen my chisels. I do not like sharpening, but it’s essential. It’s a goal this year to keep my tools as sharp as possible, so I’m trying to be good about stopping with my work and sharpening when I need to. Apparently by the talk in the bench room I'm not the only one starting to dream about dovetails. And one advantage of living with three guys from the program, no wife or girlfriend to bore with shop talk. Darrick's wife made a formal request that he leave the dovetail bemoaning and general wood grumbling at the shop. My second set of dovetails came out a little nicer than the first, but improvements can still be made. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Tuesday 8 am and it's Dovetails again. I spent 9 hours today working on a single set of dovetails. I was surprised at my patience with them and my ability to slowly work on them until they fit well. They’re nothing but a piece of practice wood; they’re not going on a drawer or a box, they are simply an exercise on a piece of wood that I will throw away. My dovetails became my sole focus, and they transformed from a piece of practice wood into an endeavor of excellence and patience. I may have learned more from the experience of the work than the procedure of the work. They’re starting to look decent too.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbROFTuJKs4jBl6MRVt57SmyICWs0Mxbka7ghiFoKT88o_vYI1mQS-jBArA6xA6_WrxGlla6G8Bg7KBWFVUXvrPc5WLnUmRj4hH9onUE022LH0o017xhh7RDXKP8dwlY1RwpKe1SV0sY/s1600/_MG_5575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbROFTuJKs4jBl6MRVt57SmyICWs0Mxbka7ghiFoKT88o_vYI1mQS-jBArA6xA6_WrxGlla6G8Bg7KBWFVUXvrPc5WLnUmRj4hH9onUE022LH0o017xhh7RDXKP8dwlY1RwpKe1SV0sY/s640/_MG_5575.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9 hours of work.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Wednesday, Half Blind dovetails. Mine look like they were cut by a full-blind woodworker. All that talk of patience yesterday and today I feel like I may throw a chisel through a window. I need some time in the machine room to rip apart some boards, send some sawdust flying, and then I’ll come back to dovetails later in the week. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planing the end grain of a set of half blind dovetails.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Thursday, a little bit off lurk about (checking what other people are working on) and then off to the machine room. I was thankful to get away from the precise work of the dovetails for a little bit today, put on some ear muffs (hearing protection, not ear warmers) and drowned my precsion sorrows in some saws. I worked a little on my sawhorses, bringing the pieces down to the dimensions I wanted. <a href="http://www.gregbsmith.com/">Greg Smith</a> was teaching today, and went over dowelling for cabinet carcasses. Too much sugar earlier and I'm finding I'm crashing hard in the afternoon. You're right mom. Thankfully all my dowels and holes lined up and my carcass is now ready to plane and bring together. I guess I’ll spend the start of tomorrow sharpening plane irons. Stay sharp!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyh_SkdE1FjE56lpCa4Gq6QPyF2uekmQcq3fonMzXYIuNhYbbB9auCoNrKCbBffxO1JDUgK3Oxg7bRWRgB6LfLq-A9tdYgl98QzDS2qDXedsGdbT8I7VlwYqukOI8xsxrrVppjPRQNIM/s1600/_MG_5592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyh_SkdE1FjE56lpCa4Gq6QPyF2uekmQcq3fonMzXYIuNhYbbB9auCoNrKCbBffxO1JDUgK3Oxg7bRWRgB6LfLq-A9tdYgl98QzDS2qDXedsGdbT8I7VlwYqukOI8xsxrrVppjPRQNIM/s640/_MG_5592.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam listening intently to a lecture. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Friday and my 10 am Union break is interupted by a lady who intercepted Hank after he jumped the damn fence again. Instead of working in the machine room I’m doubling up the electric wire on the shorter sections of fence and adding it to the five and a half foot high section of fence Hank is clamoring over. He hates the electric fence, and loves the cats on the other side. Some wood for sale came into the shop today and I bought some Myrtle (also known as Pepperwood, Bay Laurel and it’s latin name, umbellularia californica) and some crazy looking Siberian Elm (ulmus pumila). Laura told me as I was hesitating to buy wood that Krenov's philosophy was to buy it if you can afford it and buy it anyways if you can't. I may not have a project for it now, but I'll come up with one. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcofu4ZJqGRrWSWSoB7ti3Yea94fUmIG_IjcAXv-Ko1RqCetXMzvDf3w-g5pwr-9SC1H3p1ML1MQ9A68RjFh0RSBgAuuFTPITfYRtJ0pCPTHkptrUiIYtS9KITKxN2-BZ3zkZiXKySHQ/s1600/merge_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcofu4ZJqGRrWSWSoB7ti3Yea94fUmIG_IjcAXv-Ko1RqCetXMzvDf3w-g5pwr-9SC1H3p1ML1MQ9A68RjFh0RSBgAuuFTPITfYRtJ0pCPTHkptrUiIYtS9KITKxN2-BZ3zkZiXKySHQ/s640/merge_1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another picture of me since mom requested more. Horizontal Borer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">After a Friday night potluck at <a href="http://www.hocktools.com/">Ron Hocks</a> with some steel talk I'm back at work on my Sows Ear Cabinet this morning. It’s all squared up with a level backside and ready to take over to the shaper to get ready for the frame and panel back. I have two days off this weekend thanks to Labor Day, and thought about heading out to Yosemite. I really would like to climb some, but the 7 hour drive, plus the cost of diesel combined with my tiredness makes me hesitant. I think I’ll stick around and just head into the shop to work on Monday to work on some more dovetails. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><!--EndFragment-->bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-22778588469623866922011-08-29T21:25:00.000-07:002011-08-30T18:28:01.740-07:00College of The Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 2<div>Another week of sawdust and shavings have passed and I'm starting to get into a routine here. My routine basically revolves around working at my bench in the shop and frequent snack breaks.<br />
I've been pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to fit in with the woodworker crowd, it helps that they are so similar to climbers. We spend all day working with wood, frustrating the hell out of ourselves when something is off by 1/128th of an inch. Then during breaks we talk about that sick Japanese dovetail someone cut in the class of 1990 or bust out the tool catalog and talk about what new tools we want to order, and argue about saws cutting on the pull stroke or push. Instead of talking about new cams I'm talking about shoulder planes and chisels. Then once the shop closes up we go home, grab a beer, eat some meal made mostly of rice and beans, and then talk about how our work would have been better if this or that had been different or speak in awe at how easily Carlos pulled off his dovetails, like some guy flashing an offwidth in Indian Creek. Then it's off to bed where I flip through Fine Woodworking Magazine or look at books about wood and trees, and then fall asleep dreaming about handplanes and perfect joints. It is just like climbing. Just as obsessive and maybe just as ridiculous too. And yes, I really have been having dreams about working in the shop.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quick Carlos and his mortise and tenons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This week started with much frustration hanging around the shop as people finished up their prefect boards. Adam decided to start his completely over, a task I would never wish upon anyone. He wanted his damn perfect, and it is now. </div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://www.yaffemays.com/">Laura</a> taught Monday and Tuesday and got us all started on Mortise and Tenon joinery, or as Budlong calls them, M&T's. The next days were filled with the same emotional highs and lows that I had during the work from the previous week. I'd be really close, 99% close, and then one more pass with the shoulder plane and I'd be chasing a gap around the tenon for the rest of the day. I spent the next five days working mostly on three M&T's, a haunched tenon, a standard M&T and a through tenon. My bench mate is beginning a project that has 34 birds beak mortise and tenons. I wasn't sure what they were either, but just know they are intense. I'm pretty sure the work of cutting these mortise and tenons appeared somewhere in Dantes Inferno.</div><div><br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ06Sh8Ijz8DFaFVHiHQrhIEknu63nWYMi_3eEwDaGOeuTL0j-4PgEENT81Hdk-71v_QZ7Onw5Ni_fBSt1SNW13p-LqaBJnu0VRjaCHw2xNj46C7mqI1k4migo5EptW-48zfCogHmTI0E/s1600/_MG_5512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ06Sh8Ijz8DFaFVHiHQrhIEknu63nWYMi_3eEwDaGOeuTL0j-4PgEENT81Hdk-71v_QZ7Onw5Ni_fBSt1SNW13p-LqaBJnu0VRjaCHw2xNj46C7mqI1k4migo5EptW-48zfCogHmTI0E/s320/_MG_5512.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chase squaring the shoulders of a tenon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzLL2ueeebQPhVfE6c429gPXJLN0VLS0C3UuIh0pBrXkFzPe4z-X8UOa2mZ_Jf8NtmFGWYpSBlVrfvS_DBuixMzlk3oGLJsucF7wobVf62FMMLD2KzU8Y9BXUxezzLObKyvXIVZcgEiI/s1600/_MG_5536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzLL2ueeebQPhVfE6c429gPXJLN0VLS0C3UuIh0pBrXkFzPe4z-X8UOa2mZ_Jf8NtmFGWYpSBlVrfvS_DBuixMzlk3oGLJsucF7wobVf62FMMLD2KzU8Y9BXUxezzLObKyvXIVZcgEiI/s320/_MG_5536.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greg using the horizontal borer to cut mortises.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We did have some small breaks from the exact and tedious work of the M&T's to start a small wall cabinet out of poplar and to begin some sawhorses. Both of these projects began by resawing all the needed pieces from one piece of wood. It's pretty fun to take a board, layout what different pieces you can get out of it and then take it into the machine room to run it over jointers, through bandsaws and table saws and get all the parts for a project.</div><div><br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglfqYv7oB8mJyxgwL0G4Zir5gv5QWnF5lT1o3J8vBfPhh3xbgzRx71qZE_Zqng69RxhJ2S41LjVOJbGK05ilFVZgGaPcs1xEqCtpWIEoFf7YW8cdVXJJ3Kuztl4pco6OeAJ9_iRY5_UE/s1600/_MG_5517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglfqYv7oB8mJyxgwL0G4Zir5gv5QWnF5lT1o3J8vBfPhh3xbgzRx71qZE_Zqng69RxhJ2S41LjVOJbGK05ilFVZgGaPcs1xEqCtpWIEoFf7YW8cdVXJJ3Kuztl4pco6OeAJ9_iRY5_UE/s320/_MG_5517.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rave and the table saw.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOPapXdzdC9hLaOHF3FYYg6xX_AK1biWbES2cC7R-N9Ln-Ha6FeHRTCrdoA6oVEz1kkxnBzoDHVbVytsWkIQbxbjocUeRxPWnx7WtHDExSlZ06wMvFPMZiRg-F1U2Lt_JBQkf6UGHEo4/s1600/_MG_5565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOPapXdzdC9hLaOHF3FYYg6xX_AK1biWbES2cC7R-N9Ln-Ha6FeHRTCrdoA6oVEz1kkxnBzoDHVbVytsWkIQbxbjocUeRxPWnx7WtHDExSlZ06wMvFPMZiRg-F1U2Lt_JBQkf6UGHEo4/s320/_MG_5565.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rave and the bow saw.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>On Friday I finally convinced <a href="http://www.crfinefurniture.com/budlong.html">Jim Budlong </a> to check me off on my mortise and tenons. It was good practice, and Budlong is a stickler...he expects fine work...which will be good to learn from and strive for. Sometimes it is hard to think though that the hard work put into pieces will be lost on people outside of the woodworking community, that routered dovetails and hand cut dovetails will look the same to most. But there is much personal satisfaction in doing something well, in putting much of yourself into your work. </div><div><br />
</div><div> Budlong kicked off Saturday with a crash course in dovetailing, and the rest of the day I tried to prevent my eyes from going cross as I stared and chiseled at end grain about three inches from my face. Once again, Carlos turned out some amazing work, while I struggled along. All in all, it was another good week of challenging work and when 5:30 rolled around on Saturday some shuffle board at the Golden West was in order.</div><div><br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxDd8VlFL8xEmuDLYWazd8iJrnOjdHfnIYjoCAXNOEiHduwYMyJ-RPrtZVnuD-EMeAPRseIgVEkiO5Vz6Utwc8kuhS5ABh-jfDa9uR6d0MeehtYRRhyeYAWAUIzoJr1ZxMYv7dLvaam8/s1600/_MG_5573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxDd8VlFL8xEmuDLYWazd8iJrnOjdHfnIYjoCAXNOEiHduwYMyJ-RPrtZVnuD-EMeAPRseIgVEkiO5Vz6Utwc8kuhS5ABh-jfDa9uR6d0MeehtYRRhyeYAWAUIzoJr1ZxMYv7dLvaam8/s320/_MG_5573.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start of some dove tails. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div>bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-20588456602187604832011-08-21T18:56:00.000-07:002011-08-21T18:56:54.659-07:00College of The Redwoods Fine Furniture: Week 1 <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>484</o:Words> <o:Characters>2760</o:Characters> <o:Lines>23</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>3389</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>11.1282</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:UseMarginsForDrawingGridOrigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The first wood-shavings of the year have fallen from my plane and been swept into the dustbin. My year at the College of the Redwoods Fine Furniture Program has begun. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Monday started and ended with plane irons. Flattening my water stones and honing my irons this year was a lot more peaceful than my first experience last summer, when I contemplated bashing my Norton stones with a 4lb sledge hammer and tossing my plane irons in a smelter. This year I breathed calmly as I repetitively ground the tips of my fingers raw sharpening and honing. My experience from last summer had taught me the importance of a truly sharp blade, and though dulling to the mind, a having sharp tools is the basis for any project.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVj8Z5H-n2wR3nSviQB2ZkEexHTVG-JpzDY_9yzWYKPDUR-GAsSWEDfmVTAA2UBET4RGM_u_U36YnA-Ji-TO8k6eecRcjVAbEFJuDgWy-qiD3QuFCjo8QUwcTYOglRJIB5Hk9e6rk0Bg/s1600/IMG_0159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVj8Z5H-n2wR3nSviQB2ZkEexHTVG-JpzDY_9yzWYKPDUR-GAsSWEDfmVTAA2UBET4RGM_u_U36YnA-Ji-TO8k6eecRcjVAbEFJuDgWy-qiD3QuFCjo8QUwcTYOglRJIB5Hk9e6rk0Bg/s200/IMG_0159.JPG" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoGSTv9wAkzMOjEDTwU8UYBK4daMl-NcbqAjf5XesqFG-Pnkcp2drH8BFGhvdzjzLwSxH3w99k-Lwb8o1z-jbOeqmhEpRCCK1uHuMohRQrvpU5xl1rjkoY7LMTJgL8dLFs2jkj8KfW4s/s1600/IMG_0166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoGSTv9wAkzMOjEDTwU8UYBK4daMl-NcbqAjf5XesqFG-Pnkcp2drH8BFGhvdzjzLwSxH3w99k-Lwb8o1z-jbOeqmhEpRCCK1uHuMohRQrvpU5xl1rjkoY7LMTJgL8dLFs2jkj8KfW4s/s200/IMG_0166.JPG" width="149" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSzQSr8iadC9ZP2XTVh8lp0gMICEyudHutUNfKpEVskq-ZwZkxa-z1Ncf2tX4ukoDqHlS3Ba3y-AttHCIR4AU9bsZgxgrCzyo9Z0ufb993EHMTfEzjG30rkZPjUQDk4FeeSj7HrRM4UU/s1600/IMG_0163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSzQSr8iadC9ZP2XTVh8lp0gMICEyudHutUNfKpEVskq-ZwZkxa-z1Ncf2tX4ukoDqHlS3Ba3y-AttHCIR4AU9bsZgxgrCzyo9Z0ufb993EHMTfEzjG30rkZPjUQDk4FeeSj7HrRM4UU/s200/IMG_0163.JPG" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1KgQF6eL47uoz3IB_GAN78B7Ov4sH86wQJ5mEhqWoOu6kuPom0WgzhpIZTLjp-0-IFE5M9zE8ApoEcUzH3GoGS1W00m6CXEHyGguiY4C50KYbeMgEMI8DZ8-ilOH3b1X4r4htOLho7Q/s1600/IMG_0167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1KgQF6eL47uoz3IB_GAN78B7Ov4sH86wQJ5mEhqWoOu6kuPom0WgzhpIZTLjp-0-IFE5M9zE8ApoEcUzH3GoGS1W00m6CXEHyGguiY4C50KYbeMgEMI8DZ8-ilOH3b1X4r4htOLho7Q/s200/IMG_0167.JPG" width="149" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUDVqzqlUI9_lgI1V1McPw0ZMNy5vUZgwOPul2wjrjKMR-LXTLWO-HRrgaWTyfpNAEwSg8tAWnnly6oBqydC5yYbW5zB_bLBFxfFKBKda1i9t8YhZplFJczPG5rr9A4X3bjPiSj0GivQ/s1600/IMG_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUDVqzqlUI9_lgI1V1McPw0ZMNy5vUZgwOPul2wjrjKMR-LXTLWO-HRrgaWTyfpNAEwSg8tAWnnly6oBqydC5yYbW5zB_bLBFxfFKBKda1i9t8YhZplFJczPG5rr9A4X3bjPiSj0GivQ/s200/IMG_0171.JPG" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhla2uL3Hv5FVuNIaQe5K59H9lTRJn1iTfW2BA68MFQyEf9ZkgnUo5K-v_x_Pdh1xfPuYcNbNB-G9H76W2kXNXWp6MSVp9l7V7bk6iVAla7DUH0_S7ED0rn6skSv0q-s65oEbT_ZiD1X7Y/s1600/IMG_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhla2uL3Hv5FVuNIaQe5K59H9lTRJn1iTfW2BA68MFQyEf9ZkgnUo5K-v_x_Pdh1xfPuYcNbNB-G9H76W2kXNXWp6MSVp9l7V7bk6iVAla7DUH0_S7ED0rn6skSv0q-s65oEbT_ZiD1X7Y/s200/IMG_0170.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">(Hock Plane Irons : Out of the Box Front and Back, Flattening, Newly Polished Backs, Hollow Ground, and Honed Irons.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">After a fun day of sharpening, the class got started on constructing hand planes, a smoother and a joiner. Bandsaws started running, block planes were tuned, and shavings started hitting the floor as our planes took shape. A good part of the day passed looking at my square, then planing some more, looking at my square again, planing, looking at my square….</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0V1LMpPUxTHY_Y-FDUCIi1gzfmajtxuTz4HAl-9ktU3KsOAqTHwY2ia_ttvAGU0upmI9-gATFR2D_ZIYw1Yi-lx4kxAYJNGNM2AeN0ziB0I8o5aJ8DFdaiU6zDgno5wyM8Y-8Heq-uo8/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0V1LMpPUxTHY_Y-FDUCIi1gzfmajtxuTz4HAl-9ktU3KsOAqTHwY2ia_ttvAGU0upmI9-gATFR2D_ZIYw1Yi-lx4kxAYJNGNM2AeN0ziB0I8o5aJ8DFdaiU6zDgno5wyM8Y-8Heq-uo8/s320/IMG_0176.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">maple block becoming a plane</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Eventually my plane ramps seemed good to go and I got out the clamps for glue up. Back to sharpening my tools again and making sure my stones were flat while I waited for the glue to dry. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Clamps were removed and soon folks were gluing on the soles, working on their plane throats and starting to shape their planes. By Thursday a few planes were cutting their shavings and by Friday the class was starting to move on to the next project…The Perfect Board…</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-vxKWDjiACrCj-Y8qyvUFTChhK1FoJs_GKZYqh-4WhhSPtbNKPgyqzPWxjIdx4B7gd5u_NaYJdji4KEqoS1InX3xCyasTY_2kYTyNuXRu9oqk1Wq5asRxQdykIowYNKxqmR4BURgLlY/s1600/IMG_0187_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-vxKWDjiACrCj-Y8qyvUFTChhK1FoJs_GKZYqh-4WhhSPtbNKPgyqzPWxjIdx4B7gd5u_NaYJdji4KEqoS1InX3xCyasTY_2kYTyNuXRu9oqk1Wq5asRxQdykIowYNKxqmR4BURgLlY/s320/IMG_0187_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam getting ready to glue up his sole</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5T6ydxjRkJWEnPX0nGPiDWdeFWM7-BMcrNE60ei4OinbuVMQuKpg4s3AhdeCpx3P7KxLU5QAcuIp8nqW-NY2n57iVX8EzZpEb61UlrvJWt7hr_8MfM17sYplZtkn5ldIgaL_wkD_70U/s1600/IMG_0183_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5T6ydxjRkJWEnPX0nGPiDWdeFWM7-BMcrNE60ei4OinbuVMQuKpg4s3AhdeCpx3P7KxLU5QAcuIp8nqW-NY2n57iVX8EzZpEb61UlrvJWt7hr_8MfM17sYplZtkn5ldIgaL_wkD_70U/s320/IMG_0183_2.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">glue up</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJ4Uszme973yg9jtlnUOGTEW0M5lSVSnUX22xWfP7qhOWEpdfH-GOutoSvDegbb48qb7hK38HMdId5nmsjOJNLeSVctl6zU5lSEk_AqQJtx6x3ak879JArq0acMXhklRLsvEh2Wez390/s1600/IMG_0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJ4Uszme973yg9jtlnUOGTEW0M5lSVSnUX22xWfP7qhOWEpdfH-GOutoSvDegbb48qb7hK38HMdId5nmsjOJNLeSVctl6zU5lSEk_AqQJtx6x3ak879JArq0acMXhklRLsvEh2Wez390/s320/IMG_0178.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John tuning up his black plane.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The Prefect Board was my least favorite least favorite exercise last summer. On a scale of One to Ten, one being slamming my head in a car door and ten being in a state of zen I’d go with a two. The goal is to become familiar with the new planes and the idiosyncrasies, the method is to take a lightly milled piece of board, split it, and then re-join it and square it from every angle. My panes either have a lot of idiosyncrasies, or my adjusting skills need some adjusting. Last summer I spent two days on my board before I had it perfect. I proudly took it to an instructor to check out and was told I was approximately half a 64<sup>th</sup> off of square. It was supposed to be the perfect board. This year I hoped to the gods of wood that things would go smoother for me. I began working on my board with my smoothing plane, flattening one side. Once I had a reasonably flat surface I hit the planer, the jointer and the table saw. A little bit of work with the planes and it was time to rip it. The most daunting task was almost at hand, re-joining the boards. So with some trepidation of what was coming I took my board to the band saw, and ran the blade through a spot in the grain that looked like I could hide a cut. Ideally it would take about three passes with the jointer plane to get the surfaces of the board ready for glue up. Hours later, with f-bombs flying, and some irons in need of re-sharpening I was close to having the tow halves meeting. It just needed one more pass. Thirty-six passes later I had it in the clamps gluing up. Not as quick as I would of liked, but still a full day quicker than last time. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwBJ0Bu40BCDOdHI93jujmI3LzX5NrcXoHqWjsOSOmyTmwpPfkCGccOKmRAgMmhFYxLQMMEuya5Xu-H8KnYJmak1wHQzeuQBhj2WecR_2PyXlWPEKzSUoylFpWHdRXMYRHJ-RyLn_mWg/s1600/IMG_0198_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwBJ0Bu40BCDOdHI93jujmI3LzX5NrcXoHqWjsOSOmyTmwpPfkCGccOKmRAgMmhFYxLQMMEuya5Xu-H8KnYJmak1wHQzeuQBhj2WecR_2PyXlWPEKzSUoylFpWHdRXMYRHJ-RyLn_mWg/s320/IMG_0198_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carlos working on his perfect board with his smoothing plane</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">perfect board glue up</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrOoY-4x_SxaAufeMlSEsMv_FfMJZm8C-xiDOOuUXUDomQBmRcYWJ8gWn4Hh9wWrdsDhRUHzP-wfd27VBAWveD5QanL5XgYGWVDETAcuPXyN0O0EUZGouhF29MCqLANCXZxclDDcXo-g/s1600/IMG_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrOoY-4x_SxaAufeMlSEsMv_FfMJZm8C-xiDOOuUXUDomQBmRcYWJ8gWn4Hh9wWrdsDhRUHzP-wfd27VBAWveD5QanL5XgYGWVDETAcuPXyN0O0EUZGouhF29MCqLANCXZxclDDcXo-g/s320/IMG_0173.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and back to sharpening</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Sunday finally rolled around and for the one day off of the week Chase, Tom, John and myself headed inland to cut and split around a chord of wood. Nothing like a good day off from the shop. </div><!--EndFragment-->bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-12283397853530535842011-04-16T22:34:00.000-07:002011-04-16T22:34:14.421-07:00Back.Well three months in Ecuador have passed and now I'm back in New Mexico. The routine of living in my own home with my own space is coming back to me slowly, as well as the discipline of choosing how to spend my time- now that I have much more time to do what I will with it.<br />
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For the next several months I hope to use this blog for what I originally intended...to post about mountains and work projects.<br />
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Red Rocks Climbing:<br />
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I landed in Albuquerque on March 22 approximately 4 hours behind my original ETA and without my luggage. My folks picked me up and I crashed in bed around midnight. I had a day and a half to unpack from Ecuador and then repack for a climbing trip to Red Rocks Nevada. In less than 48 hours I was on the road again heading out for some great times with friends and rock. It was good to get on some rock after spending so much time in Ecuador with ice axe in hand.<br />
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I haven't started any projects yet, but have been cleaning the garage and backyard in preparation for some sweet stuff. Until a new project gets underway I'll post some from the past.<br />
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One of my favorites is lighting. There are so many things that can be used for a lamp, or fixture and it's pretty easy to wire things up. These are patio lights I made from Santa Fe Brewing companies Happy Camper IPA. I love IPA (thanks to the Sierra/Summit climbing crew), and I love New Mexico. I had to use these cans for something. And the great thing about these lights is that I have to consume a a few six packs before having enough cans. Darn.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBptY8Rr5QqdELeEWl9Seyr8Xnk_qL0psHTWh5XPpf2mI1pbEWd3i_JSRWhhRptZ_KO-Hg6G_ZhC273RX1kXxpogGwAWV-4BKPFPlTdNyLg0MU1ReeuTjP8goID7lOzDYaqkdsF81wjJ8/s1600/IMG_9984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBptY8Rr5QqdELeEWl9Seyr8Xnk_qL0psHTWh5XPpf2mI1pbEWd3i_JSRWhhRptZ_KO-Hg6G_ZhC273RX1kXxpogGwAWV-4BKPFPlTdNyLg0MU1ReeuTjP8goID7lOzDYaqkdsF81wjJ8/s640/IMG_9984.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqxplFxDaqHANNUut4xT_ZjMLgi-I60RLtjHe7Q6jWH7FMjwvL7TZsQwYFrqwX1hrcO110GuN2grEnS7R5DmsgrQE3JaFbM4-JwFCX1FngUDVKDMYeaNo5Ukgvak0LsaCXObzUjTCTIw/s1600/IMG_9993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqxplFxDaqHANNUut4xT_ZjMLgi-I60RLtjHe7Q6jWH7FMjwvL7TZsQwYFrqwX1hrcO110GuN2grEnS7R5DmsgrQE3JaFbM4-JwFCX1FngUDVKDMYeaNo5Ukgvak0LsaCXObzUjTCTIw/s640/IMG_9993.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9PYc208rmlNTSxKUVhLuV4__IgXsmaEGU5rBOTe7l5e6QiHKMArugMT9uDmKSAsU_GQjkMoyg4YfAlYlgG0G_wwuq3JVLSm4bmCcnKsQ6deHMGW9d2maL9LHlUpbKio8xpioGURY-iw/s1600/can1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9PYc208rmlNTSxKUVhLuV4__IgXsmaEGU5rBOTe7l5e6QiHKMArugMT9uDmKSAsU_GQjkMoyg4YfAlYlgG0G_wwuq3JVLSm4bmCcnKsQ6deHMGW9d2maL9LHlUpbKio8xpioGURY-iw/s640/can1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Come sit on my porch with me and have a beer.bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-46991374506771110622011-03-12T07:43:00.000-08:002011-03-12T07:43:24.331-08:0010 Days and Counting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3n6sD6Lu3-ghb8cGY4i3ahYJXpJOiTn2aJBbzTzl8acRq01mnZo6vO8Jwzp7fgiEdW4fg2UM6nqDDbuLFvgB8n4PrTcGDaY_PVkX2-PSRaA06aFfG9UxWhsNH0YdsRPpFyh0r6mK4mI/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3n6sD6Lu3-ghb8cGY4i3ahYJXpJOiTn2aJBbzTzl8acRq01mnZo6vO8Jwzp7fgiEdW4fg2UM6nqDDbuLFvgB8n4PrTcGDaY_PVkX2-PSRaA06aFfG9UxWhsNH0YdsRPpFyh0r6mK4mI/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Quito</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been in Ecuador for 11 weeks, having arrived a few days before Christmas. With less than two weeks left I find myself looking forward to home and returning to some of the routines and rituals of my life. Some of the things I'm most excited for are to see my dog Hank, time in the morning to sit with some tea and the words of a good book, the opportunity to work on some projects like building the much procrstenated pizza oven, and moments spent with friends and family. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjX8dyhrCRls_blhta2WR9MgnSyXdyzNP1OXUnQo3WoP9oZSZNNlSm6T6xlIEVIsTMqGBgFdL8Oz9ZfD6QqeZkl1vhpyLrqJGmUKp9TZR_eCxFx-DkWgzbPSQP_1Oe0JQIPquJfYrvdY/s1600/copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjX8dyhrCRls_blhta2WR9MgnSyXdyzNP1OXUnQo3WoP9oZSZNNlSm6T6xlIEVIsTMqGBgFdL8Oz9ZfD6QqeZkl1vhpyLrqJGmUKp9TZR_eCxFx-DkWgzbPSQP_1Oe0JQIPquJfYrvdY/s320/copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hank the Dog</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practicing Chimney Techniques</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This being my eighth trip to Ecuador I've often found it difficult to maintain excitement for being here. Much of my time here has begun to feel routine, despite the fact that there is so much here that I have yet to experience. The mountains feel the most familiar and routine to me, while my time spent at Remanso de Amor and with The Henry Davis Foundation orphans seem to be the most energized. Futbol games, play days in parks, conversations with Taxi drivers and visiting the Quito dump have been things that have been a break from the routine of course work here, and reminders that I am in a very different place from the actual routines of my life. These experiences have often been life giving or life affecting. Despite taking time away from Summit in the coming year I hope to be able to return to Ecuador to continue relationships and experiences with the Orginazations that I've been fortunate enough to spend time with down here. If I don't climb Cayambe or Cotopaxi again I don't think I'll be dissapointed. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quito North Dump</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cayambe...last climb?</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The past week much of Quito has been closed as Carnival and the start of the Lenten season begins. I've not observed Lent in several years, but am looking forward to it this year as a time to reorder and renew aspects of my life. C.S. Lewis writes, "By valuing too highly a subordinate good we...come near to losing that good itself." I don't find much in my life that I want to leave behind, but that I want to learn to appreciate. I find it interesting that Lewis also draws attention to the observation that there as many Feasts in the Christian calendar as Fasts. I suppose abstaining from certain goods during Lent is partly to reorder our lives and to be able to enjoy those goods of which we are abstaining in their ordinate place. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've spent nearly every day for the past eleven weeks with my good friend Ben Speicher. Our conversations have centered on the usual. Girls, God and climbing. The following quote reminds me of much of our conversations. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5p7oKXg-oN4oiOzpz2TxSMsjU_EcKM70p24wbjWFUB1tVZu6o9FqVpVcuFyr-oe1rMArtSQnT4YvAZqMj31nH9ELILv51ntNpuoIxWHrEHpAmLxrcnVwgH7sgwBSYfk9kDdCd6Wj2ZY/s1600/IMG_9735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5p7oKXg-oN4oiOzpz2TxSMsjU_EcKM70p24wbjWFUB1tVZu6o9FqVpVcuFyr-oe1rMArtSQnT4YvAZqMj31nH9ELILv51ntNpuoIxWHrEHpAmLxrcnVwgH7sgwBSYfk9kDdCd6Wj2ZY/s320/IMG_9735.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben and Myself at a Liga game</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Second, emotion is not opposed to reason; our emotions assign value to things and are the basis of reason. Finally, we are not individuals who form relationships. We are social animals, deeply interpenetrated with one another, who emerge out of relationships."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can read the full article </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/opinion/08brooks.html?_r=3&hp"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Poem I'd like to memorize: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i am a little church(no great cathedral)<br />
far from the splendor and squalor of hurrying cities<br />
-i do not worry if briefer days grow briefest,<br />
i am not sorry when sun and rain make april<br />
<br />
my life is the life of the reaper and the sower;<br />
my prayers are prayers of earth's own clumsily striving<br />
(finding and losing and laughing and crying)children<br />
whose any sadness or joy is my grief or my gladness<br />
<br />
around me surges a miracle of unceasing<br />
birth and glory and death and resurrection:<br />
over my sleeping self float flaming symbols<br />
of hope,and i wake to a perfect patience of mountains<br />
<br />
i am a little church(far from the frantic<br />
world with its rapture and anguish)at peace with nature<br />
-i do not worry if longer nights grow longest;<br />
i am not sorry when silence becomes singing<br />
<br />
winter by spring,i lift my diminutive spire to<br />
merciful Him Whose only now is forever:<br />
standing erect in the deathless truth of His presence<br />
(welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness) </span></span></span><br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>e.e. cummings<br />
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</blockquote><br />
<pre style="color: black; overflow-x: auto; overflow-y: auto; text-align: center; width: 730px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></pre><pre style="color: black; overflow-x: auto; overflow-y: auto; width: 730px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></pre><pre style="color: black; overflow-x: auto; overflow-y: auto; width: 730px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></pre><pre style="color: black; overflow-x: auto; overflow-y: auto; width: 730px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And a song I'd like to play:</span></pre><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nPjAL3fYDQI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ramblin' Jack Elliot</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br />
</span></div>bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888326260315678243.post-36547617274735856872011-02-28T16:56:00.000-08:002011-02-28T16:56:33.734-08:00This morning I ordered 15 new quickdraws. I'm not exactly sure why I ordered new quickdraws, probably a combination of factors: They were black and therefore cool; my friend was ordering some; I'm trying to impress a girl on an upcoming climbing trip (I'm pretty sure girls are impressed with new climbing gear); I've been culturally trained to feel good about buying things, and they were the lightest bent wire gate carabiner on the market. A whopping 28 grams per carabiner. Climbing is going to be so easy now. My old carabiners weighed a heavy 38 grams. Thats a 10 gram difference. Distrubuted over 30 carabiners thats a weight saving of 300 grams. Or 11 carabiners. Or .66138 pounds. That weight savings alone will probably allow me to lead at least one grade harder. Maybe even 5.7.<br />
In the search for new carabiners I almost purchased some that weighed 31 grams. If I had bought those my draws combined would have weighed .198 pounds more. I wouldn't ha<br />
ve onsighted anything this year if I had bought those. Thankfully the cool black draws were in stock and now I'm all set for pulling down hard and not being weighed down by all those extra grams.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.banffcentre.ca/mountainculture/media/images/2009/images/royal-robbins-classic-1969-by-glen-denny_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.banffcentre.ca/mountainculture/media/images/2009/images/royal-robbins-classic-1969-by-glen-denny_l.jpg" width="411" /></a></div><br />
Don't tell Royal about all this. I think he'd kick my sissy ass.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<img src="http://www.crfinefurniture.com/1IMAGES/2x2blackelephant.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table></div><br />
Outside of lusting after new climbing gear I recently finished my application essay for <a href="http://www.crfinefurniture.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">College of the Redwoods</span></span></a>. I'm hoping to spend August 2011-May 2012 in Fort Bragg CA learning from some of the best woodworkers in the country.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The school was started by<a href="http://jameskrenov.com/"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">James Krenov</span></a> whose passionate work with wood is known world wide. Here is my essay:<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thispublicaddress.com/tPA5/ho-craft1022_kre_0499301458.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="ho-craft1022_kre_0499301458.jpeg" border="0" class="mt-image-center" height="219" src="http://thispublicaddress.com/tPA5/ho-craft1022_kre_0499301458.jpeg" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Krenov and his hands.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Even more of these people have had no craft education at all. They’ve simply come across wood for one reason or another, found it interesting, and have begun to putter with it.” These words of James Krenov accurately describe how I’ve come to be interested in wood. It is not a family legacy; I did not inherit hand planes from my grandfather or spend time in my fathers’ woodshop as a child. I’m not sure how to tell the story of how I became interested in wood, other than that I just did. Perhaps like Krenov said I simply “felt a need for an intimate contact with a material.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"> Last summer I had the opportunity to take the Tools and Techniques class taught by Jim Budlong and Todd Sorenson. To say that my knowledge of woodworking prior to my Budlongian education was minimal would be an exaggeration in my favor. I had once attempted to use a hand plane to strip the finish off of a section of bowling alley floor. This was what Jim and Todd had to work with</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Over the course of three weeks I learned more than I could of imagined. Though, often my learning and experience was far from the image of the romanticized carpenter that I fantasized I would be. The first days my mind and fingertips went numb with the monotony of sharpening brand new plane irons as I wondered where the wood was? I hadn’t realized there were things to prepare before getting into a piece of wood. Things like tools. Things like myself. </div><div class="MsoNormal"> The wood eventually came and the next several days were full of the wonderful experience of handling wood and making my own hand planes. Here was the stalwart carpenter I had hoped to be, one who is to make and then to use his own tools. To feel that connection with my hand, with my tools was stirring. To think of one day creating furniture with these beautiful planes that I had made, not purchased, filled me with a humble contentedness. However, any grand visions that I had dreamt up were soon exposed to the learning curve of actually using my planes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewbcrawford.com/Shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shop Class as Soulcraft" border="0" src="http://www.matthewbcrawford.com/Shop.jpg" title="Shop Class as Soulcraft" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One of the best books I've ever read.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Matthew Crawford so eloquently states in <i><a href="http://www.matthewbcrawford.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Shop Class as Soulcraft</span></a></i><span style="font-style: normal;">, “Not only do things tend to go to hell, but your own actions contribute inevitably to that process.” The next project was the perfect board, a rough sawn piece of wood that we were to square from every side, cut down the middle and then rejoin. My enthusiasm dwindled as I moved from the basic actions with the machines to the finer work with the planes. My vocabulary shrunk in proportion to the amount of width that my board lost as shaving after shaving revealed to me that my two halves would quiet possibly not be rejoined to make a whole. For two days only four letter words came from my lips as I stayed at my bench during lunch and after class, taking much too thick of shavings off of my board. My actions were truly contributing to the state of my board. Slowly though, through direction and coaching, I learned about my planes and how to handle them, how to adjust the iron for just the thinnest shaving. I learned the importance of a truly sharp tool. Then one afternoon I placed my two halves together for the umpteenth time and there was no rock. I stood in silent rapture, the two pieces met in near perfect unison and not a trace of the cut was visible to my eye. I had achieved this, never mind that six inches of shavings stood about my feet.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"> There were more experiences like this, experiences that seemed as defeats and some that seemed to be victories. I put together a set of half blind dovetails that I was very proud of. They fit together tightly and I hadn’t splintered any end grain in finishing them. They were also completely ass-backward with the joint revealed in the front instead of the side. Budlong now has them in his collection of dovetails gone wrong to use as a future class example. I signed them for him.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> I had come into the class thinking I knew what woodworking would be like. I saw myself standing tall over a workbench, a smile on my face and a song on my lips, my hand and arms moving in the motion of the creation of some glorious piece of furniture. Instead I often sat exhausted at my bench, my head in my hands in bemused frustration. But I learned. I learned a little about wood and a lot about myself. I learned that my vision of the mastery of a trade was as conceded as could be, that if I were to pursue becoming a craftsman it would not be by force or mastery over wood, but by a mastery that only comes from a relationship with it, a deep understanding of and intimacy with the wood that can only come through much time spent with it. Time spent sitting and learning of myself and how I relate to the wood and the tools, and what the wood and tools have to tell me about myself. Time spent in struggle, in contemplation, and in patience. Time spent in submission waiting for the sum of my poor techniques to give in to that beautiful pass with a plane that pulls off the thinnest shaving like a tissue and brings forth the shine of grain that came from a tool made and used in my hands. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">To say that my experience has been all frustration and difficulty would be misleading. I had just as much fun and enjoyment in the Tools and Techniques class as not. The smell of the wood and the feel of my planes moving under my hands brought to me a simple pleasure, and as Krenov says, “To do something we enjoy is to begin to know ourselves.” He was absolutely right and it was from the struggle born of my enjoyment that I learned. This was the purpose for me, to allow the wood to reveal my need for improvement and to come away as a better person, a better craftsman. Matthew Crawford says “Craftsmanship must reckon with the infallible judgment of reality, where ones failures or shortcomings cannot be interpreted away.” To see my shortcomings in full light gave me something to look to and improve upon. The hoped improvement was as exciting as looking over planks of spalted oak, as reassuring as the feel of my planes. Now that I hope to go forward in this craft of woodworking it is the patient struggle that I look to. It is what will make me both a better person with my tools and a better person with myself. </div><div class="MsoNormal"> If I were to overlook my romanticized desire to work with wood it would be a discredit to my heart. I too find a peace in the workshop, calmness in the use of my hands, humbleness in the work. To explain the anticipation, the joy, the hope I have for working in wood is difficult. All I know is that I desire it, all of it. From the excitement of the discovery of a beautiful pattern in the grain to the long sit wondering how to use the grain. I cannot say anymore than that what Krenov said. “It seems right and it feels good.” There is something within that stirs when I think of embarking on a relationship, a life spent with wood. It’s an excitement and a peace both at the same time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> My goals in woodworking have changed since I first entered the shop in Fort Bragg. I would be lying if I said I did not care about being good or creating beautiful simple pieces of furniture that will attract others to them. I still want that. I want to be a good craftsman with all the technical knowledge that comes with it. I want others to be drawn to my work by its simple beauty, and to see a bit of my hand in it. But what is good and beautiful seems to have changed in me. Yes, on a pragmatic level I want to know more of the how, more of the technique. I cannot work in wood without this knowledge; I need that experience to continue. But I don’t want it to all be plans and executions. As Krenov writes, I want to learn how to sit with the wood and listen to it, and to be careful with it. I want to feel the responsibility of a beautiful piece of wood and to be patient with myself, to be patient with my work with it. I want to have the skills that would make me responsible to that wood in the first place. I cannot be responsible to something that I do not understand how to fully care for. I want to learn how to care for the wood in my work and relationship with it. I acknowledge that I have less experience than others who would apply for this program but I don’t know of any better way to gain that experience than to sit with the skilled instructors and students that the College of the Redwoods attracts and to learn from them. I will paraphrase Krenov for a better summation of my goals: I want to learn and to work honestly and well, but with humility too. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Thank you for your consideration in the upcoming school year.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Bryce Green</div><br />
<br />
So that's what my posts will be about I think. Working in wood and being in the mountains. And some of the stuff that happens between.<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_58487284"></span><span id="goog_58487285"></span>bryce greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07401642005112024921noreply@blogger.com0