Good Monday Morning!

Good Monday Patriot Woodworkers! What did you get done over the weekend, and what have you planned for the week ahead! Inquiring minds want to know. Please tell us what's happening in your shops, your life, and any events going on with you. Thank you for being here folks!

     

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Featured video of the week

Published on Oct 14, 2011

Meet three generations of the Moulthrop family of woodturners (Ed, Philip, and Matt). The Moulthrops are featured in the Family episode of Craft in America, which premiered in October 2011 on PBS.

 

 

can't do Monday 'cause...

 

Edited August 21, 20178 yr by Stick486

Finished most of the mowing yesterday and have about an acre left that I hope to finish today; Got the oil/filter/service performed on wife's Jeep.

 

A couple of volleyball meets this week plus normal transportation duties. Much cooler, drier weather is in the forecast after tomorrow so I may get several projects outside underway and maybe some evening shop time.

 

I have some business in the Emerald City on Wednesday; plan to meet my brother for lunch at Route 66 Diner, run a couple errands then maybe a little rust hunting. If all goes well, a donut run to the iconic Mary Lou's on my way home seems to be beckoning...it's been a while since going there. 

 

Due to unexpected darkness today, many outside activities are likely to be postponed. Although a quick catnap somehow seems appropriate with nightfall in the middle of the day. It would be a shame to waste a good eclipse.

26 minutes ago, Stick486 said:

can't do Monday 'cause...

 

 

In my family someone would have flushed it by now.

I added 20 goldfish to my pond. 

54 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

 

In my family someone would have flushed it by now.

 

or ate it...

any excuse to skip Mondays works for me...

Monday?    Wake me up when it is Tuesday...aka the day after the eclipse...

I started today off by finishing up what I was doing yesterday...nothing!

 

I am also all geared up for the eclipse. When it starts, I will go inside and watch it on the TV with the AC on full blast!

 

Disclaimer: That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Mike

I have been working at reclaiming my shop (3 car garage) as these past 6 months have been rather hectic. These past 3 month have been the most hectic after dealing with my wife's mom having to go through her final days with pancreatic cancer with all the various things that ended up being stored in the shop. I also had to deal with some mechanical issues with my wife's car over that same time, but now the car is good to go for her daily commute to and from her work at school to teach her K-1st grade Autism class. So this past week I was finally able to get all the non-shop stuff picked up, moved out or dumped in the trash. Today I will have to take a number of 33 gallon trash bags full of various bath towels and sheets that my wife cleaned out of the cabinets in the laundry room to donate to a local homeless shelter. So yesterday I washed a number of loads in the washer get the musty smell out of them so they are now clean and fresh and ready to go. I kept 1 bag of towels that were the most raggedy or had bleach stains on them to use in the shop.  

 

I picked up a couple of Maple and Walnut  boards at the lumber shop as I am going to get started on some different cutting/bread boards that will be long and narrow (think ceiling fan blade size) with a handle at the end. These will be smaller done in solid wood as opposed to being done with strips. I am hoping to be able to get something that are easier to make with less time that can generate a some income for the shop. There is a small "Artsy-Fartsy" cooking store down the road from me that specializes in many different types of flavored olive oils infused with different spices for use on pasta and for bread dipping. I talked with them and they were interested as they work with local artisans as they have a couple of stores in the area. I have no idea what kind of price point they need to sell them at and if there is any room for profit for me, so we will see. If not then oh well, what I make will get sold down the road or end up (most likely) being given away as gifts by my wife to others which means I am paying for the front cost and my wife gets the joy of giving to people. So win-win for me.

 

Here is a photo of a cutting/bread board that I picked up in the gift shop at the "Sam Maloof House" which is about a 30-45 minute drive from my house. My wife and I had gone out there to walk around the gardens as they have really nice grounds with local California plants and trees. The design caught my eye as something that is quite simple to make but very pleasing to the eye and there is no gluing. So I will play out some different  shapes similar to this.

   

Quote

These past 3 month have been the most hectic after dealing with my wife's mom having to go through her final days with pancreatic cancer with all the various things that ended up being stored in the shop.

 

Prayers sent for you and your family, Allen. My mom (88) is going through the same thing. It is only a matter of time.

20 minutes ago, MT Stringer said:

I started today off by finishing up what I was doing yesterday...nothing!

Hey Mike, next time you get in over your head on a project like this, give me a call...be happy to come over and help!

15 minutes ago, MT Stringer said:

 

Prayers sent for you and your family, Allen. My mom (88) is going through the same thing. It is only a matter of time.

Sorry Mike for the circumstances but understand where you're at...went through similar with my mother  from mid November through Feb. 27th. She would have been 84 June 29th.

Prayers to you and the family.

looks like the arm rest from one of Maloof's rocking chairs.

1 hour ago, DAB said:

looks like the arm rest from one of Maloof's rocking chairs.

Sam Maloof passed away in 2009 and his long time apprentices are carrying on his tradition. One of the ways that they support the Maloof Foundation is they make various things out of wood and other materials to sell in the gift shop. This was the first time I had seen these cutting/bread boards there. On the back side they have CNC'd the Maloof logo.

branding.

 

craftsmanship.

 

i'll take craftsmanship over branding.  

28 minutes ago, DAB said:

'll take craftsmanship over branding.

Me too...branding just burns my rear.

 

I've been burned by a few brands. Chevrolet and Freud for two. 

and in case any youngsters come across this some day and ask "what's the difference between 'branding' and 'craftsmanship'?"

 

craftsmanship is making something that has beauty and utility, something that serves a purpose, fills a need, solves a problem.  it's something that you can use everyday, and it does it well.

 

branding is just putting your name on something.

 

was watching a show last night, and they came across a Roy Roger's lunch box with matching thermos.  pretty neat.  it's just a metal box with artwork on it, and the same goes for the thermos, just a plain thermos with artwork on it.  they aren't any different in form or function from plain ones.  they do the same thing - hold your lunch.  but you put Roy's name and art work all over it, and that's branding.

 

likewise, a slab of wood that looks like the arm rest from a Maloof chair can be made by anyone, but if they put their logo on the backside, that's branding.

 

anyone with some talent can make an end grain cutting board.  but making them with special woods, that's craftsmanship.  making hundreds everyday and putting "Boos Blocks" on them, that's branding.

 

end of lesson.

 

now go make something special.  and put your name inside it somewhere, so later generations will know who did that.

33 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

I've been burned by a few brands. Chevrolet and Freud for two. 

you must have been driving a Ford!

Always, Mike. The last GM product we owned was in 1980. A 1980 GMC. What a piece of junk. Traded it for an 81 mustang. A bigger piece of junk. lost the tranny at 700 miles. Traded it for a Datsun pickup. Got the last of the Datsuns before they changed to Nissan. Ran the wheels off that truck. Great little truck. Finally sold it and got a 1990 F150. Been a Ford guy ever since.