16 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

 

@Artie, thanks for the compliment but, I can't come close to Paul's skills. Must be something about that Canadian air.

As to going metric, it wouldn't matter. I can't read a ruler, anyway. 

 

 

Maybe you're using the wrong ruler...try one of these

I see numbers. I don't do numbers. This is my tape.

7 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

I see numbers. I don't do numbers. This is my tape.

I like those,Gene,the mark that you put on it makes the next part exact, and not an inch off.

Since this is kinda a Shopsmith post, thought I’d throw this stuff in here. I finally got around to putting my Shopsmith/Incra 120 miter gauge together. Also now that I’ve gotten my feet wet with some woodworking and have a bit more knowledge of which end of the screw goes into the wood first, I hauled out the Shopsmith/Incra miter sled out and was gonna put it together when I realized that for the sled to be really useful I needed a couple more things, so I was nice to myself and ordered a fence for it. Also a picture of my first shop posting. 

Since this is kinda, sorta, maybe a defacto Shopsmith thread, hey Gene are you aiding and/or abetting at the Shopsmith demonstration in Mesa today?

On 1/2/2019 at 7:59 PM, HARO50 said:

... I have NEVER built anything using this new-fangled system! It just seems easier to stick with what you know.

John

The metric system was first proposed in 1791. It was adopted by the French revolutionary assembly in 1795, and the first metric standards (a standard meter bar and kilogram bar) were adopted in 1799.  Gabriel Mouton, the vicar of St. Paul's Church in Lyons, France, is the “founding father” of the metric system. He proposed a decimal system of measurement in 1670.

 

British Imperial System, traditional system of weights and measures used officially in Great Britain from 1824 until the adoption of the metric system beginning in 1965. The United States Customary System of weights and measures is derived from it. British Imperial units are now legally defined in metric terms.  Before that, the measurements varied quite a bit from place to place. complicating trade.   Some references say that foot is the length of average man's foot,  Of course, that could vary and in today's US sizes, it's now a size 14  -- hardly "average."

 

So metric is about 130 years older than inches and feet!

Artie, nice shop and machine.  I wish I could have a 520, but if folks worked on the small table for 30 years I can learn. However, if I have a long piece of wood to cut, I put it on the ground with sticks underneath and use a guide to cut my board.  Now, for smaller stuff, (under 3 feet), I will use the SS.  It will do more than I can.  LOL  

 

Thanks, Gene for initiating this thread.  I like to see products made mainly on a SS.  

18 hours ago, Artie said:

Since this is kinda, sorta, maybe a defacto Shopsmith thread, hey Gene are you aiding and/or abetting at the Shopsmith demonstration in Mesa today?

Nope, that Mesa is too far from this mesa. 

7 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

Artie, nice shop and machine.  I wish I could have a 520, but if folks worked on the small table for 30 years I can learn. However, if I have a long piece of wood to cut, I put it on the ground with sticks underneath and use a guide to cut my board.  Now, for smaller stuff, (under 3 feet), I will use the SS.  It will do more than I can.  LOL  

 

Thanks, Gene for initiating this thread.  I like to see products made mainly on a SS.  

I used to cut full sheets of 3/4 ply on the SS. Now, I can't lift one. But all my ripping and jointing is done on the full sized SS. It has the Jointech fence and router table on it. So, table tilts, drill press and accessory functions are relegated to the "Shorty". 

19 hours ago, Artie said:

Since this is kinda a Shopsmith post, thought I’d throw this stuff in here. I finally got around to putting my Shopsmith/Incra 120 miter gauge together. Also now that I’ve gotten my feet wet with some woodworking and have a bit more knowledge of which end of the screw goes into the wood first, I hauled out the Shopsmith/Incra miter sled out and was gonna put it together when I realized that for the sled to be really useful I needed a couple more things, so I was nice to myself and ordered a fence for it. Also a picture of my first shop posting. 

Artie, Artie, Artie...your shop is WAY too clean. You need to clutter it up and get sawdust in every nook and crannie.

 

OK, OK, I admit I'm jealous of your neatness and organization. NICE shop and really nice setup on the SS

To paraphrase my wife, A clean shop is the sign of a sick mind. 

14 hours ago, kmealy said:

I have NEVER built anything using this new-fangled system!

 

14 hours ago, kmealy said:

So metric is about 130 years older than inches and feet!

Sorry, Keith... I should have said "new-fangled (to ME) system. I realize that it's been around longer than I have, because I spent the first seven years of my life in the Old Country, and I WAS already trying my hand at wood-working back then. However, I don't remember doing much measuring back then.

John

Inches, cubits, mm..etc...no problem. When it fits, nail it.

21 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

Artie, nice shop and machine.  I wish I could have a 520, but if folks worked on the small table for 30 years I can learn. However, if I have a long piece of wood to cut, I put it on the ground with sticks underneath and use a guide to cut my board.  Now, for smaller stuff, (under 3 feet), I will use the SS.  It will do more than I can.  LOL  

 

Thanks, Gene for initiating this thread.  I like to see products made mainly on a SS.  

My Mom, near her end, was talking to me about our inheritance. She understood all the responsible (I hate being responsible) things I needed to do for my family, but she told me she would like it if I could also do something for myself. So I put about 20% of it away, and decided to kinda follow my Grandfather (maybe the biggest influence on my life after Mom and Dad), and get into woodworking. I decided where I knew almost nothing and was gonna have to learn a whole lot, that maybe buying new would save me from having to learn how to fix stuff, while I was learning how to make stuff LOL. I have very little space, and a guy at work was telling me about Shopsmith, so I did some online studying and probably gave Shopsmith the single biggest order from an individual in some time. I had 30-40 boxes in the basement, while downsizing, consolidating, and them building the shop. By the way I’ve LOVED it all, so far. So this is just to explain how the village idiot, who knows almost nothing about WW’ing, has new stuff. I bought a trac saw from SS and have yet to assemble it. I have a Milwaukee circular saw, dedicated just for the trac system, waiting for me to have the time to attach the trac piece to it. I’m thinking it’s gotta be easier to move the saw, than the large sheetgoods in my small basement. This forum has been the biggest aid to me in going from understanding ww’ing theoretically to actually having an idea on hot to accomplish stuff. 

29 minutes ago, Artie said:

By the way I’ve LOVED it all, so far. So this is just to explain how the village idiot, who knows almost nothing about WW’ing, has new stuff.

It 'ain't a race or who has the newest, biggest, bestest stuff, shop or knows the least or most, but it's about the whole journey each of us has, is and continues to experience. And you're right Artie, this place (TPW) allows us all to stop at various junctures, rest a bit, share what happened to us along the path, to hear about other's journeys and when needed, ask where we should trek to next. Our common thread is the desire and passion to go where we personally have not been before.

 

Thanks for your openness and candor on the subject, but thanks most for being here on a regular basis and sharing with the rest of us. Having your sense of humor here 'ain't half bad either.

Finally, never forget, we're always willing to help you spend your money especially for stuff you never knew you needed or wanted so best keep the day job as long as you can...Besides, like I tell my brother, please make sure to pay your SS tax...us retired folks depend on it.

Edited January 12, 20197 yr by Grandpadave52

Grandpa, your post deserved more than one emoji!  I’m having fun, I’m learning (who woulda thunk?). Some days this is the only online site I go to. Gene’s got no idea how happy I am that he brung me here (course he may now feel regret LOL)

13 hours ago, schnewj said:

Artie, Artie, Artie...your shop is WAY too clean. You need to clutter it up and get sawdust in every nook and crannie.

 

OK, OK, I admit I'm jealous of your neatness and organization. NICE shop and really nice setup on the SS

All right, next time I’m working in the shop I will take pictures of it when it’s dirty/sawdusty. It does get that way, I just don’t like to bring the iPad down there when it’s like that. I have to do a meticulous clean up or all laundry duty will become mine, plus maybe some other chores I no want. If I was tech savvy I would cut and paste that woman with the red laser deathstare, right here LOL. 

12 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

To paraphrase my wife, A clean shop is the sign of a sick mind. 

I would probably have to admit to that  .

52 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

It 'ain't a race or who has the newest, biggest, bestest stuff, shop or knows the least or most, but it's about the whole journey

100% agree.  I enjoy shop time no matter how difficult the task, or how long something takes me.  Sometimes years......

5 minutes ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

or how long something takes me.  Sometimes years......

you good w/ decades???