How you doin'?

I have been rough turning bowls from logs. I have a dozen greenwood blanks drying in paper bags with some of the wet shavings. I may have my Christmas presents done on time this year!

So far so good. I have been working on a couple of projects and also took some time to maintain my tools. Cleaned and oiled the machines and sharpened all cutting tools. Finally satisfied with the edge on my card scrapers. Curly shavings.
To get some air we occasionally pack a lunch and go down to the beach. Plenty of room, nice to enjoy the fresh air and sun.

Family is well . Working on a flag holder made of walnut for my father in-laws flag he served in ww2 . Also getting ready to mill up some wood for a set of lamps . And trying to take a walk around the neighborhood for some fresh air .

Joe, thanks for asking. Everyone just sitting tight for now. I’m getting a little work done on the Jefferson laptop. Taking my time.

Oh well, I guess the picture didn’t show. I’ll try again soon..

I’m trying to work remotely but it’s slow going, I’m doing my best. And I don’t really want to start a new big project now (I need a new tool cabinet) because the only wood I have in bulk if spalted maple, and for that, I need dust protection, and I can’t exactly run out now and get dust masks, mine are old and gross. So I’m working in the basement in my model shop on a new model ship, the HMS Victory. I think it will be about 4 feet long when I’m done. I’ll attach a photo.

And I just finished this right before the lockdown. My son and daughter in law got one like this for a present, but it got ruined during cleaning (don’t ask). The original is all bamboo, but unfinished and a bit rough. The cracker trough was shaped using a router bit but wasn’t sanded or anything else. So I didn’t want to just fix it (plus I didn’t want to work on bamboo, it’s like teak, a cutting edge destroyer), and I wanted anything I worked on to look and feel nice. So I found a use for some of the bubinga I got years ago, and here it is. The top looked a bit bare, so I made a butterfly inlay with epoxy resin, using crushed opal and dyed epoxy. There is a limit on uploads so I’ll have to do it in a couple of posts.

And here is a close-up of the inlay.

I’m doing pretty fine in the shop. Got 3 built ins, 2 barn doors, dining table, coffee table, queen bed frame, large window bench seat, and of course a few guitar pick stools to complete. I also picked up a beast of a 5hp SawStop for my safety and members/students taking classes at my shop. But unfortunate with this virus only one member was able to try it out a day after assembling the saw. I also picked up a large Delta lathe from Mike J. and a JET edge sander. I do have to say I really miss offering classes and seeing members come into the shop so I have someone to talk to while working. I could only talk to myself for so long and listen to music. Being there by myself has given me the opportunity to really see what needs to be improved on in my shop as layout and storage. As well as tools or hardware that I really don’t need anymore.

What changes have you all seen working in your shops now that you would like to change?

Lets all hope we beat this virus and return to our normal lives where we can all see each other at the monthly meetings and get togethers.

Daryl, beautiful work. Love the inlay.

Thanks Joe this has been on the list of things to make for a while . Not going to be able to finish for awhile I think because I need a piece of glass and don’t think the glass place is open .I while definitely bring it in for show and tell .When things get back to normal

Cory thinking about upgrading the cutter head in the joiner . Have a ten percent off coupon for grizzly tools and they are also offering free shipping right now .Would save around 60 bucks.

Bob what kind of cutterhead are they talking about for the jointer? I changed to a segmented cutterhead, and while the change itself was a miserable experience, the results are amazing. I don’t find it quite the way everyone else says, but it finishes much smoother and it doesn’t seem to care which way the grain runs.

Daryl looking at buying the byrd shelix segmented cutter head for my joiner .Have 8 inch delta and the knives need to be sharpened and just dreading the thought of doing all that aligning of the blades .And segmented head is going to give me a better cut .

I got the Byrd and it worked great. There were some problems. It was supposed to fit my Felder jointer, and it did (replacing the cutterhead took abut 9 hours, but that’s because Austrians make crazy machinery). The cutterhead was about 1/16″ smaller in diameter than the OEM, so it took another hour to reset everything to the smaller diameter. After that, it worked great. So if there are alignment problems, it might be that.

From a couple of videos I have seen the shelix is supposed to go right in .Just need to get new bearings for the new cutter head .Thing I am going to buy it since they cancelled Fine wood working live I got a refund for that so should spend the money on something . Cant go to the knife class anytime soon .

Joe I ordered the byrd shellix head last night think it is going to be about the same price . I have to order bearings now .I forgot about my woodcutter. Went on there website site is going to basically be the same price since I have to buy the bearings . Called grizzly to cancel the order but it was already shipped .

I’m like Joe, I always take light cuts. With the segmented cutterhead, I no longer worry about grain direction, which is nice. I even managed to joint and plane waterfall bubinga (which I cannot say 3 times fast) with no tearout, so the Byrd and the others are great.

In thinking about it, it’s really like a powered toothing blade…take that Charlie James!

Thanks guys just have to figure out the bearings now .Joe would have be great to have had your over to drink my beer.

Thank you for asking how we are doing. I live alone and I am very lucky to have a garden, a studio, and a boat. The latter one is on land, in solitary confinement. Therefore, I can go and do all sorts of stuff which would have been done under pressure.
I just completed the installation and testing of the new engine… 130 hours! I now have to take water heating, general plumbing and some painting… maybe if they can’t launch. Otherwise, a lot of maintenance which was postponed for many year.

In the shop, I try to preserve my lungs and yesterday, I made a dust collection system based on the ClearView cyclone. It fits my Festool vacuum.
It seems I collect some dust in the receptacle. I thought I would see more, but I only used machines that make fine dust, comparatively to a planner, a router table, my jointer or even the lathe.
Interestingly enough, when I connect my Delta 1725 cfm, the air flow is increased but it seems that the vacuum is not as efficient. I will have to take measurements with a scale and an anemometer.
What did YOU all do in your shop ?

I have another question regarding my very very old bench. It has a wood vise with a wood screw. It seems that the screw is not aligned because it never clamp the moveable jaw parallel to the bench.
I don’t understand how to disconnect the outside how so that I could make a new one. Can anyone help me with some idea ?

I did some research for a Bryd head for my Rockwell Delta 37-315 jointer and from Oella saw and Tool with bearings it would be $499.49. That includes shipping. It was $16.96 cheaper than MyWoodCutters. I checked out Grizzly for a spiral cutterhead and wasn’t sure which one to get as they don’t really have detailed specs or a list of all the machines they work on. Simply googling Rockwell 37-315 bryd head Oella Saw came up the best bang for your buck and they have outstanding customer service. I plan on ordering one once things calm down and I go back to classes. The knives I have in there now really should be sharpened but I do not want to deal with resetting them with the jointer pal and stuff. Right now if its important I go back to my bench and give a swipe or two with a handplane to clean up any tearout of simply glue it up as it won’t be seen.

Joe, is that a split collar? Some really old wooden vises used a tongue and groove to hold the screw to the vise face.

Thank you, Mike and Joe. I will see. Else, I have to unbolt the whole assembly from the bottom of the bench.

Thanks Joe. It is a brand new puppy. The old one was 38 yrs old and was falling apart last summer, causing me to abort the season in August!!! It was working like a charm… but all accessories were failing at Volvo Penta prices! Heat exchanger, water pump, recirculation pump, aluminum transmission/sail drive, alternator…
This one is built around a Kubota tractor engine, engineered in Great Britain, with many Italian parts.
I just received the bronze folding propeller: as beautiful as Gina Lolo Brigida. Let’s hope she also propels!!!
The first challenge was to adapt the motor mount: white oak blocks… OK at least this was some woodworking lol

Glad you guys are doing well. I’m working on a hall tree projects with some sycamore for the bench seat. Luckily Jim H identified it from a sing,e picture, I had no idea lol. More importantly, I’ve been taking care of shop projects along the way. Normally I work around things, don’t have time to properly clean up, make concessions because something isn’t finished… so I’ve been knocking things off my list to make my life easier!

Some dust and shavings in your shop, Ben… but more glitter in his boy’s eyes 🙂
I have been working on a box for my Leigh D4 jig. It is a weird “stair” shape and it is a challenge to keep it as mall as possible, functional and light…
I have a challenge to join the plywood sides: the Kregg system is not good in 1/2″. Therefore, I rout a groove in the adjoining planks which are 3/4″ cherry. But then, it reduces the inside dimensions and the storage box get tighter… I just drew a 1:1 shop plan, but the jig is home and I am isolating in Westchester…not able to confirm the exact outside dimensions of the jig. This drives me crazy.
Actually, I don’t really know how to justify that project: I have the jig for 5 years. I used it once and it took me more time to adjust it than to cut the dovetails by hand. However, this was for a strange project where the sides were 12 degrees canted from the top, like a trapeze…
I might just ebay the whole stuff once done …

Not fair! Using the superior metric system, not a fraction to be found.

I am divided between the two approaches

Bob, I always got my bearings at Jamaica bearings although I haven’t been there in a long while they might still be around. Very helpful and they have every bearing known to man.

All
We are staying healthy. Just finished a new split top Roubo workbench with ash and walnut. Thank you to Harry at Urban for lending me the plans to get a jump start and his advice along the way (he will eventually get them back as I now have two sets of plans)! Purchased the materials shortly before the pandemic took over.
Regards
Andrew

How about some updates….
Jim, from the pile of shavings in front of the lathe, I would say you are a busy guy.
Robert, how goes the quest for the bearings
Robert how is the box
Charlie, what are you making
Daryl, have you perfected the tortilla pizza
Joe, put down the fork and get in the shop
I sharpened all my tools…twice.

The question of the moment….tomorrows virtual meeting are we zooming or facebooking? I accidentally deleted Mike’s email.

Mike, I’m still making the Jefferson laptop desk. My pictures don’t show up for some reason. Any suggestions to post them?

Charlie, Jim M is the expert. I am sure he will contact you after reading this posting. Joe B is also proficient. (Been waiting years to use that word in a sentence).

Charlie, try emailing them to me at jpatmo@aol.com I will see if I can post them for you.

Mike bearings were ordered today should have them this week hopefully . So I will keep busy in the shop working on a set of lamps for our bedroom .Hope everyone is well .

Thanks Jim. I’ll let you post the ones I sent, if you can. I’ll try that fix you sent me, I appreciate it…

These are Charlie’s photos. It turns out that his iphone was saving the photos in a format not supported by the website or windows 10, I found a free online utility that converted them from .heic to .jpeg If anyone else is using an iphone or ipad and the photo format is set to .heic there is an additional setting on the phone that will automatically convert them when they are uploaded. I found these instructions:

How do I convert iPhone photos to JPEG?
Open the “Settings” app on the iPhone and go to “Camera” Choose “Formats” and select “High Efficiency” to capture iPhone photos in HEIF / HEVC format. Recommended, next to go “Photos” and under the ‘Transfer to Mac or PC’ section choose “Automatic” to automatically convert the HEIF images to JPEG upon file transfer.

Charlie, looking good. Love the inlay work. Will the laptop desk be completed by showtime?

Thanks, Mike. I hope it’ll be ready! Still have a bit to go though…

Jim, thanks for posting the pictures for me..

Planting sunflowers!

So the new cutter head is in and working wonderful. Should have done this a long tome ago . And wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be . Thanks for all the help and insight .