Cherry ripe

Possibly a record, but I've started on the initial stock prep for the side tables; and the timber only got delivered last Thursday! Okay, so only the 2" stuff for the legs - I've yet to tackle the 1", which will require more careful selection of where to cut for figure and so forth. And I don't actually have a finished drawing to work from yet either, but that's just a minor detail... Of course I got so immersed in what I was doing, I forgot to take pics except for this really interesting one... D'oh!

Hear ye, the word of the Bevel Up Plane

What's all this bevel up stuff anyway?

Grrrr... I blame all together too many vicars and ministers in my ancestry. Why must I feel this compulsion to convert everyone? So what if they don't "get" bevel up planes. No skin off my nose. Not me missing out on a Good Thing. But it gets to me. Especially when people say they're Not Especially Good Actually, without declaring if they've tried one. Or not... And especially if they haven't tried a higher angle blade in one when that's one of the main advantages. Okay, so up until, what? Six months ago? I wasn't at all convinced either. But I didn't go round telling other people they were part of a craze - simply because I hadn't tried what they had. Don't get me started on comparing apples with kumquats whatever you do...


Rant over. I imagine, if anyone ever actually reads this, I can expect comments.

Timberrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Cherry for the side tables for August, some beech and walnut to play with. Mmmmmmmm. Bloomin' hard work stowing it though, and more work to come. And guess who still hasn't sharpened their planer blades... Ooops.

Is it me, or is FWW slipping?

Is it me, or is FWW slipping?

Hmm, good question, and one that seems to be getting asked more and more often; which kind of suggests the answer is "yes", doesn't it? I must say I've taken a sneaky peek at the new issue on their site (my copy has yet to make it across The Pond) and my heart sank. Router jigs, forsooth?! Glue ups - again?! The only "real" project is the rocker, for heaven's sakes. Talk about taking the "Fine" out of Fine Woodworking. It used to be that I bought FWW to be inspired, and a little awed. It was an aspirational thing. Only one project in 20 would I ever think myself even remotely capable of making, but I still learnt lots and had something to aim for. Now? Hah. Half the stuff in there, even if I could make it, I just wouldn't want to bother - you only need so many router tables and jigs... The sooner they leave the more basic stuff to the other mags and get back to being elitist the happier I shall be. Thank goodness for Popular Woodworking - when it turns up...

Okay, rant over. As you were. :~)