Let's Embark...

365 days. Its been full. Full of ups, downs, completions, beginnings.

I finished a project decades in the making, watched my best friend marry his dream girl,

suffered through some tough heartbreaks with Elise, watched my boy grow even more

sweeter, cuter, smarter, beautiful every day, Finally got the good news we had been waiting for (baby girl in the womb), saw my bike shop go away, watched my friends form an even tighter group, started this blog.

So... 2010 holds some promise, excitement, and a little sadness. Gonna miss some friends who are moving on, but I am glad its to bigger better things. Can't wait for my baby girl. Look forward to growing closer to Milo and Elise. Spending time with family and friends. Whatever I did to be surrounded by such good people... It was probably not warranted. I am lucky.

I hope all of you have a 2010 filled with happiness and love. Damn that's sappy... but sooo true.

Best wishes.

Warmest Place on Earth.

A Christmas Miracle!

Happy Holidays Folks.

Starting.

Beginnings fascinate me. How it started. How you started. Your progress. Your evolution... Yes yours. Doesn't matter if you are a woodworker, artist, musician, banker, teacher. I am interested. Its interesting. Post it in the comments if you feel like it. That being said, my story isn't that interesting.

I am largely self taught (fairly evident if you have read any other posts or seen any pictures on this blog.) And... I learn everyday in the shop... mainly from my mistakes. I have been building what some might call furniture for nearly 10 years now with stints as a bicycle shop owner, student, and a historic preservation carpenter along the way. I still have the first piece I built tucked away in the attic. My wife won't let me throw it away. If I ever get brave/drunk enough... I may post it one day. Its pretty bad. I'll say this... lots of screws, lots of wood filler, and lots of little pastel ceramic tiles.

But...

No matter how ugly that block of wood is,,,, it got me started... well... it was my start.

What got me started was a combination of childhood/ job/ a table. Spending most of my childhood in the woods building things, growing up with uncles that built everything.... everything. Then I started work at SECCA, the contemporary art gallery here in W-S. It was soooooo badass. Such a great place. It was family. And they had a woodshop... But that wasn't all. Much of the furniture was made by artist, craftsman Bob Kopf, the Director Vicki Kopf's (VK) husband. My table included. It was walnut. It got me thinking. I began to build things in the shop. I began to read. Then I asked VK if I could get Bob's advice. He was the first to tell me where to buy lumber, what I needed to start, how to glue to boards together.

Now full circle. Ten years later. Last Saturday VK and Bob were having people up to their place to tour Bob's shop. I was flattered that they remembered me. It was a half hour trip in the cold rain, but Milo and I made it. The shop was everything you want it to be. Down a dirt road in the country, nestled in a sort of artists' community with potters and such surrounding, warm wood stove, essential machinery, stacks and stacks beautifully restored planes and hand tools, simplicity at the finest level. Bob was nice enough to spend time answering all my questions, showing me some of his methods, and occupying Milo with a wooden train set. I was amazed by the hand tools. The volume and their condition. Lots of vintage Bedrock tuned perfectly. You feel humbled talking to someone who is a master at what he does. I left feeling like I had a very long way to go. But I was excited about it and more ready to get rocking. Thanks to Bob and VK again.

OK. Hope everyone who reads this is doing well and taking care and having a nice holiday.

Warming Up.

Thanksgiving 2009: The Rundown.

Robbery, Cops, Turkey, Football, Head Injury, Concussion, Table, Turkey, Vicodin.

But otherwise... not much happened.

So there have been some bumps over the last two weeks,,,, but things are back on track. Over Thanksgiving, my brother in-law asked me to help build a table base to support a desk top for his daughter/ my niece. I was excited for the chance to A: Hang out with Brian in the shop B: Escape the madness of crazy children running, shouting, stabbing (my own included). This was quick. When I say quick, I mean from rough lumber to finish ready in 4 hours. Brian got to mill all the lumber, make all the cuts, and glue it all up himself. Most of which he had never done,,, and I'd say he did quite well.

Fun time B.

Next post: I was lucky enough to take a trip to master craftsman, furniture maker, artist Bob Kopf's studio. Bob is literally the reason I became curious about building furniture. I sat a walnut desk of his every day at SECCA and from there,,, was inspired. Gonna talk about that humbling experience next time.

Close to a finish ready Stanley Table. Below are some shots of the gluing process for the legs. I built some clamping jigs from 3/4" plywood in order to prevent slipping and also keep it all square. The joinery is mortise and tenon. Good stuff.

Clamping jig

CLAMP IT!!!

Taping joints = less work

Clean.

My bird.

Happy Holidays.

Andy Makes it Better.

Wishing everyone who stumbles across this little blog a perfect Thanksgiving. This year I am thankful for so many things,,,, my boy, my wife, my friends, my dog, my health.... and I am super thankful that I discovered Elise's (my wife) college television and it still works!!! Indie rock stickers and all. So now... no matter what I am doing in the shop... Andy will always make it better.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!

Just for kicks, here is the Amazon.com tool deal of the day. I don't really need a fourth router but I am tempted to buy this based solely on the deal. But alas, I am showing restraint.

Milwaukee 1.75-Horsepower Plunge Base and BodyGrip Fixed Base Router

Normally $400, now $118. Plus it has "BodyGrip." Don't know what that is but it sounds awesome!

Made a fire to day with the 5 tons (exaggerated,,, only 4 tons) of cut offs that have been accumulating in a corner for 6 months. Had to roast a marshmallow or 2. Yeah,,, that's a gigantic frying pan...

Spread Out!

Life in the shop is humming, even in the shadow of holidays, family, and sick boys. At the close of the Stanley Table project the shop is going to get upgrades. Some big upgrades. Some little upgrades. (can't say upgrade without thinking about that horrific Beyonce commercial,,, scarred for life.)

First, the shop will be experiencing a 250 square ft expansion. Walls are coming down, others are getting painted. Floors are getting a new surface and a complete rearrange of tools, equipment, power, and dust collection is in order. New cabinets and work surfaces along with a new bench. Big project... but I am excited. Should be fun to document.

Second:

For many years I have been on the hunt for a bigger, more powerful band saw for re-sawing stock/ veneers/ laminating, so finally the shop will be getting a new one. I don't want the massive 24" Andre the Giant saw. 18" is where I want to live. I've been looking at used saws for a while but have finally narrowed it down to 3 new models in my price range. Decided on new because right now I just don't want to fuss with some of the baggage that accompanies older equipment plus I want to know I can order parts, get a warranty, etc... Help me out here if you are a woodworker and have had any experience with these models. I based a lot of my research on Fine Woodworking reviews and input from local natives. Here are my 3 choices: All have similar basics but there are across the board differences.

General 18"

- most expensive of the 3

- most horse power (3)

- no blade drift adjustment

- still totally badass and looks the coolest.

Rikon 18" 10-345

- middle on cost

- Top Tool Popular WoodWorking

Fine Woodworking Best Value for 18" band saws

- When it was reviewed for Fine Woodworking the guy loved it. I believe it would have gotten "Best Overall" had it had a bigger motor. At the time it was 2hp but Rikon has since upgraded to 2.5 HP for more re-saw power. A definite plus. This is the saw I am leaning towards.

Grizzly 513x 17"

- lowest cost

- reviewed well in Fine Woodworking

- lowest Horsepower (2hp)

- No blade drift adjustment

- Owned a few Grizzly machines and have been somewhat pleased however a few were machined poorly.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Out.

O.G.

What's better than the original? Not much.

well,,, there is Phil Collins' version of "You Can't Hurry Love" Maybe the best cover in the history of music??? not joking.

Work continues on the Stanley table. From the onset, The Stanley's wanted a simple, clean, modern table with a little rustic character. Modern Farm table (yeah,,, I said that last post). But simple, clean, modern is anything but simple. If it's simple... it has to be perfect because you'll notice if it isn't.

So... this leads me to Phil

I've been agonizing over the legs for the last few days. The original drawings (refer to 1st Stanley Table post) show a very simple design. Maybe too simple. While trying to figure out the leg placement, I angled them out very slightly. It looked good. Gave the legs just enough umpf?

but not too much. We'll see. The original is still talking to me. Thanks Sussudio.

Legs aside. Here are some shots of the base. Since there will be a horizontal board in the middle of the legs, I decided to have the rails on the flat vs a more traditional style on edge. Half lap joints. The ends are awaiting approval to stay square or get a bevel. You can definitely see some Mission in it. Which... Is fine. Mission is simple but I want to stay away from any particular "style." So, keeping the ends square would probably look less mission. Even so,,, this will be upside down so you will only ever see 6" of the boards. OK... Photos. I threw some fancy edge blur in there for you all. enjoy.

8/4" leg stock. (8/4 is 2" in lumber yard talk. these were milled to 1 3/4")

Laying out the base rails.

Finishing up the half laps. Cut most of the waste out using the dado.

Fit almost there. About 1/32" proud.

Everybody together. Nice fits. I am going to peg these with some white oak dowels for a little added strength.

The now mandatory Milo shot. Was taking some shots of different leg orientations on a mocked up base. When I was downloading theses I noticed my boy relieving himself on his water table. My son for sure!!!

Elbow Grease.

Work on the Stanley table is rolling. Glued up the table top this week. I have done a few larger tables in the past and always used biscuits to join the individual boards for a little added strength and alignment. I decided to try the Domino in lieu of the biscuit joiner for this top.

2 reasons:

First- the top is 1 1/8" quarter-sawn white oak. Super heavy. The Domino adds a little more strength. Maybe its overkill you say??? Well.... maybe. But this table is going to be sturdy. I'm thinking of it as the modern farm table so I want the Stanley's kids, kids, kids to eat at it. (if we still even have to eat in the future. Alex P. Keaton could operate a time machine on banana peels)

Second: just wanted to use the Domino. It worked well. Instantly aligned and no slipping like biscuits tend to do. Also, individual boards remained virtually flush with few exceptions. I was pleased.

Getting a large top flat is always a good time. Lot's of elbow grease. My friend Scott knows all about it.... well... he will. Love you Scotty!

Here are some progress shots: Have I said how good white oak smells? Still loving it.

Trying to get the layout right. A few of the boards had some sapwood on the edges. I wanted to use it to break up the monotony of a large table top but it had to flow. Wound up with two symmetrical "stripes." Super cool. (I say super a ton).

SQUEEZE OUT!!!!!

Filling little cracks/checks/wormholes with epoxy colored with wood dust.

Knocking down any higher spots with the belt sander

Scraping the entire surface with a... well... scraper. I also draw lines with chalk so I know where I have been. I also periodically shoot a straight edge across to make sure everything is getting flat. This part is labor intensive. Would probably be easier with a Stanley #81... but alas... I haven't one.... my thumbs are sore to say the least. Still have to do the underside... ugh...

Top scraped and cut to size. I like the sapwood... a lot. And last but not least........

My glue scraper... isn't that a Fugazi song? wait... Glue Man... my bad.

Sing out!

2 parts:

First part: I recently read an article about cleaning saw blades. Table saw blades are no joke... financially speaking.... especially the good stuff (Forrest Blades, my favorites). Forrest has a great program for sending blades in for re-sharpening,,,, but,,,, to get a lot more life out of the blade between sharpenings, and limit the times you must actually send in your blades, cleaning works magic. Wood resins build up on the teeth and get hardened from the extreme friction and forces occurring during use. I have always read oven cleaner or kerosene were the ways to go to remove it, but I have never been a fan of their toxicity and the corrosive properties in oven cleaner. As a few people already know, I spent some great years in the cycling industry. I decided to try some Simple Green Bike Degreaser I had on hand. Unbelievable! Went from feeling dull and sluggish to cutting like a laser in 15 minutes. As David Marks says, "The most dangerous tool in the shop is a dull one." Or in this case, dirty. Check out the results.

One of 2 blades I cleaned before cleaning. They both looked like this.

After Cleaning. Damn!

Second part: Why is this important? My son Milo hangs out with me in the shop quite often (he actually plays outside the shop door or works on his own wood projects. *Power tools are never operated when he is around and all sharp instruments are rigorously kept beyond his little fingers so don't get jumpy).OK Gonna get sappy. There is nothing better than hearing his sweet little voice singing Cat Stevens when I am working. NOTHING. Hopefully he'll pick some things up (woodworking things... not my "sometimes" bad language) in the process. OK, why is it (what?) important. Non-toxic degreaser. Sustainable wood products. Recycling. creating as little waste as possible. I definitely think of him. What is his future? Am I harming him or what will be around him with what I am doing? It would kill me if I was. So finding a new product that works extremely well, is safe, and helps make this smile made me happy.

WHAT UP SIMPLE GREEN!

Lift it.

Took a trip recently to The Hardwood Store in Gibsonville, NC. Right in between Greensboro and Chapel Thrill. Normally I patronize Steve Wall Lumber but the last time I was there I made a note to check on their 5/4 quarter-sawn white oak (lots of quarters in this post) supply since the upcoming Stanley Table would require quite a bit. They only had about 100 board feet at the time. When I called to check their supplies again... it was still the same. Called The Hardwood store, they had about 2000. Their supply of exotic stock is not what Steve Wall's is, but I stick to domestic hardwoods grown sustainably anyway. They had some beautiful white oak that had been roughly surfaced in order to see the grain clearly. I spent about 2 hours going through every board and picked their best. I was looking for very straight grain with some ray flecking typical in quarter-sawn oak, but not so much that it is overwhelming. I guess I really wanted rift sawn. But when the flecks come up, they will stand out and give some serious character to the table.

I have been to The Hardwood Store a few times and the people there have always been super friendly and helpful. Prices were similar to Wall Lumber and in the case of Q-sawn white oak... cheaper. I will make my visits more frequent.

Oh yeah... white oak is heavy... ridiculously. I was tired. But the shop has smelled sooooooo good since its arrival. May be the best smell on earth. Seriously. Like Christmas and Thanksgiving wrapped in new baby smell. Love it. I want to make an air freshener. Call it Quarter-sawn White Oak. Yes.

Just enough flecks to give some character but not over power. Beautiful.

nice straight grain.

going nowhere.

Here's the "time out" chair at the lumber yard. In his defense... we were there for 2 hours... but sometimes you just gotta drop the hammer.

To The Beat

Finally started the install of the small cabinet job I have been working on. The painting process was a long one. By no means am I a painting pro. Painting is certainly an art form. So whenever I paint a project I follow directions from the Bible of periodicals, Fine Woodworking. Issue 177 Three Steps to a Flawless Painted Finish. Again, even if a piece is to be painted, build it as if you were finishing it clear. 2 coats of primer, 2 coats of paint, and 2 coats of clear, non-yellowing polyurethane, sanding with 220 grit between coats and 320 between the final poly coat. I sprayed this time using my HVLP system. Makes the painting time go quickly, but the down time waiting for things to dry is agony. My shop is small enough that I don't have a finishing room so when things are drying, there is no activity in order to not stir up dust. Bummer.

Mortised nickel butt hinges with ball tips from Van Dyke's Restorers, classy!

Wine storage drying.

Cabinet installation is always fun.....hmmmm.... Had to remove the chair rail gently. (It will be put back) Just easier than trying to install flush while its in place as my cabinets may be square,,, but walls are rarely. One of my doors got a little tight through the painting process. I always try to leave 1/16" - 3/32" for paint when I am fitting inset doors but this isn't paint. Think its just a little wood movement. I'll take it back to the shop for refitting before all is said and done.

Door on the right opens and closes fine, but the bottom left corner is a little too tight for my visual pleasure.

Installed the cove mouldings I made on the table saw. Just need to install the baseboards and base cap then fill and paint those as well. Shoe mouldings needed as well but these floors are to be refinished so we'll let the floor guys install those. Wine storage works well. Should have a classic, clean look when done. Knobs are black Victorian glass from Anthropologie. Love that shizz!

Cove mouldings need filling and painting.

Put some bottles in for fit.

Threw in a picture of Milo while we were hiking the Corridor Trail at Pilot Mountain yesterday.

That could not have been a better day. Love my boy!

F. Scott or J. Nicholson??? How about some Arts and Crafts Instead?

Every time the car pulls into the Grove Park Inn, and I walk through the 16 ft oak doors, then through the Great Hall past the two enormous fire places, and onto the terrace looking across the valley, over Asheville with the mountains as the back drop... I am consistently conflicted by my desire to put on a tux and party like Jay Gatsby or run like Shelly Duvall being chased by Jack the dull boy. An amazing place to say the least. Elise has an annual conference here at the end of October. Good timing. Amazing timing. Hard to beat Asheville and the Grove Park in late October. Her annual conference represents our annual trip to the Grove Park. One of the more intriguing facts about the GPI (that's what you call it if you're cool) is that it boasts the largest collection of Arts and Crafts style furniture in the world. That's right.... the world. While 90 percent of all the furniture is reproduction, there are some original gems lurking throughout the massive hotel. Here is a book I may have to purchase. So... conflicted again. While I have always wanted them to have a furniture museum to showcase their pieces, it is so nice to seek them out and then be able to touch table tops, open drawers, or even sit in chairs. I snapped a few photos of some pieces from the 1920's that could have easily come into contact with Fitz and Zelda, since they often stayed here (F. Scott spent 2 years writing), or any of the many, many, many historical figures who rested their weary heads after long nights of "mingling" on the Sunset Terrace. It is not that these pieces are beautiful examples of Arts and Crafts (some of them are)... its the idea that the drawer I'm pulling may have been pulled by Ike, or the chair I'm sitting in was Woodrow's favorite, or the table is where Edison ate. The Grove Park never fails.

Forgot to bring a good camera so the pictures are taken with a phone... my bad.

Hard to beat this view while eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

One of the massive fireplaces in the great hall. That man is 7'8"

Roycroft table outside our room in the Palm Court where F. Scott spent 2 years writing.

Roycroft insignia

Chair from the Palm Court

Bench...... also in the Palm court

Didn't get a picture of the massive Roycroft clock in the Great Hall. Here's the small one.

Lots and lots of reproductions. Lots... and a lot more... kind of everywhere.

I didn't get any pictures of the original oak doors or the original light fixtures from the Great Hall... damn.

I Love You Grove Park Inn.