Finally got some time in the shop, today

[Artie]

So this may be a long one, and if posted in the wrong forum, feel free to relocate. My life has been very busy for the last year. I’m still working on one set of friends addition (end is in sight, but the garage hasn’t even been framed yet, I do the electrical). I went on vacation as of 3:00 pm yesterday, and will be changing the electrical service for another friend this week. Our son is engaged, they’ve bought a house, and I have projects going on over there. I average 48-50 hours a week at work. My only female cousin, and also only one older than me, passed away the first week of June from ALS. My kid brother committed suicide August last year. I am still mad at him for that, and obviously still coming to terms with it. I did not post this trolling for sympathies, or condolences, but it has a bearing on the story. My Mom passed away on Easter of 2014, and my sister was the executor. My Father’s Mother had collected Hummels, and my sister had not gotten to dividing them up among us, before my brother’s death. This really bothered her, and she was afraid that if she didn’t divide them up soon, another of us would be gone. So on Palm Sunday this year my other brother, and myself, met at my sisters house and we divided up the Hummels. They are porcelain/ceramic figurines of children, made in Germany. Around 1968 my Mom’s dad (my grandfather) made 4 mangers, and bought 4 nativity sets. He kept one, and gave one to each of his children. My sister got my grandparents manger and I got my parents manger. There were roughly 60 Hummels, and there was a nativity set. My sister and I agreed to give Paul the nativity set, and I would build him a manger, before Christmas (see there is something dealing with WW’ing here ). When I got home from my sisters house that Palm Sunday, I was putting the Hummels away. I happened to glimpse into one of them, which was a bank, and saw a piece of paper. The key to the bank was taped to the bottom of it. It was a gift to my Dad’s Mom, from my parents, Christmas of 1957. I know this because my grandmother wrote it on the bottom of the Hummel, in pen. (Probably not adding to it’s value). So I opened the bank, and the piece of paper inside was my Father’s first grade picture, Dec 20, 1937 (pictures will follow). It was kinda like Dad saying hi, from the beyond. So today I went down to the basement and looked at my manger, and started cutting pieces of 1/4 Baltic birch for the new manger. I have a ShopSmith so I had to set everything up, and then disassemble and put away, clean up, so the Missus can use the basement. I also did a couple of loads of laundry while I was down there. I GOT TO SMELL SAWDUST! Now this is gonna be a box with a slanted top, pretty simple, nothing special. But for me this is awesome, I even got to use my tapering jig (store bought) for the first time. I will post some pictures of the process as it happens, and even if my friends projects don’t get done on time, or if I don’t work all the OT my job may demand, I’m gonna get my brother’s manger done in time. One of my reasons for posting this is so that if there are any other members here like me, just beginners, or still learning, it’s ok. The regular posters here are very talented, and their work is beautiful, and I suspect that may intimidate some of us from posting (There is a very high bar here), so I’ll happily be a representative for the newbie’s, still learning, 2 left handed, among the forum. One of the reasons that this is my single favorite forum is the overwhelming friendliness, and helpfulness of the members. There is none of the condensension, and snide remarks, that I have seen from the experts (self nominated) at some other sites (and I’m not referring necessarily about woodworking forums). So I stopped working on the project while I’m contemplating how I’m gonna do the joinery. This is NOT a request for help or advice, I wanna think about this, and come up with my own ideas, not because of pride, but because this is how I learn best. I had a great day, just being in the shop, it’s so much fun. I suspect that those here who have decades working in their own shops still get this feeling. I try to remind the old timers on some of my metal detecting sites, how much of a thrill it is for the newbs to just find a quarter, it can be easily forgotten how we all started out. On another note, my Missus’s friend, who has Everett for a son, does not seem inclined to let him come over and learn to use the scroll saw. I have asked, and the look on her face was like I was asking to let him swim in the alligator infested water. I learned, and I had fun, so there’s always that. Sorry for the long, disjointed epic

[HandyDan]

Geeze Artie, I loved that story.  Family is everything and that boils over to this site too.  I saw this written somewhere    and how true it is.     "The clock of life is wound but once."

[Grandpadave52]

GREAT post Artie! Great post!

Looking forward to seeing the progression of your manger. We'll help if/when you want but I admire your desire to work this out as you envision it.

Glad to know how you feel about this site and feel comfortable sharing. I know where you're coming from on that.

 

 

[Al B]

Great story Artie. Life has its ups and downs and your story really tells both sides. Enjoyed reading it. Your dad must have been about my age, since his first grade picture was taken in 1937. My birth year was 1931.

Don't be afraid to post photos. I'll try to help you along by posting a photo of a box that I'm now building. Still not finished, but in progress. You'll notice the joinery I'm using is very simple.  My son died on November 19, 2015 from a massive stroke. He loved the birch trees on his property. This past winter, one of the trees was damaged in a storm, so I'm making this box using wood from that tree and plan to give it to my daughter-in-law. 

[Smallpatch]

Amazing story Artie.. I enjoyed it..

 You know lots of people think the scroll saw looks intimidating like it just might cut hands or fingers off left and right..

 

By the way the picture of your dad looks exactly like our young neighbor Nash who just turned 4. Maybe they will give me a picture to show you...

[Gerald]

Artie that is amazing . We have very little that was handed down in my family. My Grandfathers things were split among the children and each of my first cousins has something . I have his pocket watch and spyglass.  Your dad looks like he is up to something even tho sitting still. Looking forward to seeing your project.

[Grandpadave52]

1 hour ago, It Was Al B said:

I'm making this box using wood from that tree and plan to give it to my daughter-in-law. 

Al, Beautiful box and memorial to Michael.

[Stick486]

Art, I could feel what you said...

thanks..

[Artie]

So, since we like pictures, thought I’d post a couple. Two pictures of the manger my grandfather built, and roughly where I am now. Now when I keep telling you all I’m a newbie to this, well today I ripped a board for the very first time ! I had 18 feet of 3/4 X 2 1/2 poplar, and now I have 36 feet of 3/4 X 1 1/8 poplar. This is so much fun I wanna quit my job and stay in the basement for weeks at a time. 

[Stick486]

looking good...

[Gene Howe]

Wonderful story Artie. Really glad and honored that you thought enough of our family here at TPW to share it with us. 

[HARO50]

On 9/8/2018 at 5:27 PM, Artie said:

One of the reasons that this is my single favorite forum is the overwhelming friendliness, and helpfulness of the members. There is none of the condensension, and snide remarks, that I have seen from the experts (self nominated) at some other sites

That line says it all, Artie. Friendliest place on the net that I've found! One big, supportive family. If and when you DO need help, someone will be there to lend a hand. Nice start on the nativity, BTW!

John

[Al B]

Looks like you're off to a good start with the manger Artie. I think Baltic Birch Ply and Poplar are good choices for the project.

[Artie]

1 hour ago, It Was Al B said:

Looks like you're off to a good start with the manger Artie. I think Baltic Birch Ply and Poplar are good choices for the project.

Sheer luck with that Al. I had bought a decent selection of Baltic from Woodcraft with a gift certificate I had gotten for me B-day, back in March. I had 2- 7 foot, and 1-4 foot X 2 1/2 pieces of poplar left over from the shop build. I just like the working in the shop, and making stuff  

[Grandpadave52]

4 hours ago, Artie said:

This is so much fun I wanna quit my job and stay in the basement for weeks at a time. 

OK but the neighbor kids will start referring to you as the scary 'ole troll down the street. Might get by with it if you have a shower down there.

[Grandpadave52]

4 hours ago, Artie said:

Two pictures of the manger my grandfather built,

What an heirloom Artie...more valuable than gold IMHO. Thanks for posting the pictures.

You're off and running now...keep the pictures coming. Looking forward to seeing your vision come to fruition.

[John Moody]

Great post Artie and nice work. Never ever feel bad about posting your work here. Everyone on this site started out at some point and each and everyone of them are here to help, never tear down. I’m still learning and I’ve been at it a while. We all learn and hope that post will inspire not intimidate. 

 

Thanks for sharing. Thanks for being here. 

[Artie]

22 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

OK but the neighbor kids will start referring to you as the scary 'ole troll down the street. Might get by with it if you have a shower down there.

I’m pretty good with the neighborhood kids, they get all the Hot Wheels/Matchboxes I find at the beach with the metal detector

[Artie]

9 hours ago, John Moody said:

Great post Artie and nice work. Never ever feel bad about posting your work here. Everyone on this site started out at some point and each and everyone of them are here to help, never tear down. I’m still learning and I’ve been at it a while. We all learn and hope that post will inspire not intimidate. 

 

Thanks for sharing. Thanks for being here. 

John that was one of my goals with that post. I’m trying to be an example of an apprentice/beginner learning to get better. It took me many years to be a good electrician, many years to get good enough at catching stripers, to give out advice on where they might be hitting today, and some time to learn the nuances of metal detecting so I was finding pieces of metal that I wanted. (Auto correct changed stripers to strippers, that mighta changed my reputation here if I hadn’t caught it LOL). So I’ll post pictures of my work, and maybe some of our shy members will look at the pictures and think to themselves “I can do that”.  I just came up from the shop, I was gluing up some of the framework for the manger, I gots lots to learn LOLOL. I’m enjoying myself, but things ain’t progressing as well as I wanted. This doesn’t bother me (much) as I’m aware of the learning curve, but it’s easy to feel like a klutz,idiot/@$^^$#%&&* who can’t remember what he swore he knew. Actually it’s pretty relaxing for me, and I don’t have to tell everyone ALL my mistakes. So if there’s anyone else here besides the grizzled talented veterans of woodworking, post, talk, ask questions, jump right in the waters fine.       

[Gene Howe]

Well Artie, I'm old, I'm grizzled and a veteran of many wars... most fought in the shop, thank God. But, I learn something new every day. You can't pick up a piece of wood and put a tool to it without learning something. We're all in the same boat. Keep at it, friend.