Sunday, January 26, 2014
capistrano
today is really the first day that truly feels like spring ... theres a great smell in the air and its probably going to hit 50 or so. there is not a cloud in the sky .... the ducks arrived last year on the 15th but the weather looks like it was more hospitable then ... well see if they show later today ... click the pictures to enlarge them ...
last year ... the photo says 3/15/2010 ... no show today ... maybe tomorrow ...
but mr. owl is out looking for the mrs ....
and mr. turkey has already found his harem ... see him strut his stuff in a short video here ...
sooo cool the way he folds it up when he is done ....
A Christmas Jewelry Box
Will recently completed this nice jewelry box for a client to give to his wife for Christmas ... It was a surprise, but the cats out of the bag by now Im sure ... It was a nice little project ....Click the photos to enlarge them ... Above is the back side ...
From the front .... We used a piece of figured cherry left from the new trestle table we delivered the weekend before Christmas ... The square trays are about an inch tall and slide side to side or lift out easily ... The mirror was a last minute addition ...
Will did the walnut inlay with the initials on the cnc ...
When he glued up the box, we werent sure whether the outside was to be stained or not. Since the bottom of the drawer and the top compartment are covered with a suede like fabric, we shellacked the interior before the glue up and taped it off for staining and finishing the outside ...
Will fitted up the drawer and installed the hinges before disassembling the box for finishing ...
The dividers, taped off
From the front before finishing ... Weve got a CAD drawing somewhere ... I think its about 10 x 14 x 7 highAn Alternative To Tin Can Carts Part I
My wife is a crafter . . . she’s crafty? . . . she makes things and shops at Michael’s.
Before Christmas she pinned a tin can caddy on Pinterest and asked me if I could make some. She planned to decorate some tin cans for her crafting friends to use as storage and organizers. The caddy would allow them to take the cans to scrap booking parties and the like. Of course I accepted the challenge and set about looking at the tin can caddy my wife had pinned.
The caddy on Pinterest has six (6) cans arranged in two (2) rows. Three (3) on each side of the center plywood handle. Based on the photo, it wasn’t entirely clear how the cans are attached to the center handle. My guess is either short screws near the top or glue.
When I discussed the can attachment issue with my wife, I explained that I didn’t think a single short screw near the top would be good enough (especially as it would allow the cans to twist and the screws would work loose). I broached the idea of embedding magnet in the center so the cans would be removable. This was vetoed, but the idea of removable and swappable cans appeal to my wife. I finally settled on having a bottom to support the cans and a top ring to keep the cans attached to the handle.
My design would be made from ½” Baltic Birch plywood. Each Can Caddy would have a center handle piece, a single bottom which would run under the handle and extend out on both sides and two (2) upper can retaining pieces (1 on each side).
I began by taking out a can and using it as a reference. By marking it out full scale on my bench, I figured out that ½” would be a good spacer between cans and for the width of the bottom and upper pieced to extend out beyond the cans. I simply held my hand above the can and determined how much higher the handle piece should be and where the handle opening should be.
Designing the upper can retaining pieces came next. I laid out the centers of each can cut out. I also used a compass to mark the curves at the outside corners, which were centered at the outside can centers.
The bottom would be the same shape as the upper can retaining pieces without the can cutouts.
Read More..
Before Christmas she pinned a tin can caddy on Pinterest and asked me if I could make some. She planned to decorate some tin cans for her crafting friends to use as storage and organizers. The caddy would allow them to take the cans to scrap booking parties and the like. Of course I accepted the challenge and set about looking at the tin can caddy my wife had pinned.
 |
| The original caddy. |
The caddy on Pinterest has six (6) cans arranged in two (2) rows. Three (3) on each side of the center plywood handle. Based on the photo, it wasn’t entirely clear how the cans are attached to the center handle. My guess is either short screws near the top or glue.
When I discussed the can attachment issue with my wife, I explained that I didn’t think a single short screw near the top would be good enough (especially as it would allow the cans to twist and the screws would work loose). I broached the idea of embedding magnet in the center so the cans would be removable. This was vetoed, but the idea of removable and swappable cans appeal to my wife. I finally settled on having a bottom to support the cans and a top ring to keep the cans attached to the handle.
 |
| Laying out the height of the can retaining piece. |
 |
| Layout of the bottom with the curved corners. |
With the design done, it was time for batch fabrication.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Update Christmas decor and Door project
This week Ive been working on some diy Christmas decor.
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Ill show you how Im using them next week, but you can probably guess that at least some of it will be going on the tree!
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We also worked on the door project. Still very ugly, but I am hopeful!
Ill be back Monday with an update!
It is supposed to be rainy for the next few days, so looks like it might be an inside projects kinda weekend.
Hope you have a great weekend!
FSC CERTIFICATION FOR SMALL SHOPS
Recently I have been asked my opinion on the value of FSC certification for small woodworking shops.
It’s difficult for me to offer advice to other woodworkers as to whether or not they should get certified but I can share with them my own experience.
About six years ago I was contacted by an architect named Omer Arbell, who was working at the time for Busby Associates, a firm specializing in “green” or “sustainable” design. Omer was looking for FSC certified woodworking firms to supply millwork for a demo project they were doing called “The Sustainable Condo”. It was a full size mock-up of a small condo designed to be “sustainable” or “green”. Omer was lamenting the fact that at the time his choice was limited to one firm, Ornamentum.
Given the very tight time constraints there was not much I could do to help with this particular project, but I did get the impression that this was a growing field and that demand for FSC certified millwork and wood products would grow. I also thought that this might be a new segment of the industry where the focus was not only on cost and a fast turn-around time, but that there was a new emerging community of like minded businesses interested in doing the right thing, not necessarily to increase profit, but to have a positive effect . It seemed like an opportunity to become part of a new progressive community.
I did some research into the process and decided to make the investment in time and money to get my shop certified. For a small shop like mine this involved putting in place procedures to maintain the chain of custody for FSC certified materials from the point of purchase through the manufacturing process and sale to the customer. It also involved re-arranging my shop to accommodate these materials and keep them segregated from non FSC certified materials and set up a system to provide documentation for annual audits by the certifying body.
One of the first things I learned was that because of the altruistic associations with FSC, green, sustainable and environmentally appropriate things, there was an expectation on the part of design professionals in the field that you would provide your services for either a discounted price or for free. Many so called “green” design professionals clearly expected us to discount our work in exchange for the “opportunity” to work with them.
Another thing I learned was that the segment of the public who were concerned about the environment and making a “greener” choice were not the same people who could afford custom, high quality woodwork. Often they turned out to be people who would buy from us if it didn’t cost more than other suppliers within their budget, such as Ikea.
Another important issue that I did not fully appreciate was the lack of supply of FSC certified material. I did speak to some of my regular suppliers about it and many of them such as A & M Wood Specialties, PJ White Hardwoods and General Woods had at one time either been certified or had considered it but not pursued it. At the time, there was only one certified materials supplier in Vancouver and that was the Eco Lumber Co-op. They carried a variety of certified products including flooring, veneer and lumber. However, shortly after I became certified The Eco Lumber Co-op dropped all of these products with the exception of flooring. Not long after that, The Eco Lumber Co-op went out of business, apparently because their sole supplier lost their FSC certification. At that point we were left with no suppliers for FSC certified material, at least not smaller quantities locally available.
Another problem was the reliable availability of sheet goods to substitute for traditional products like mdf and particle board. At the time I was using a Canadian product called ISOboard, made from corn stalks left over from the harvest. Apparently, this company got into trouble and was bought out by Dow Chemical, the company that had been providing them with the adhesive for the strawboard.
At first this seemed to be a good thing. They improved the quality and distribution of the product. Soon it became available with a melamine coating making it suitable for kitchen cabinets. They gave the product a new name “Woodstalk”, a play on words relating to the hippy, back to the land culture of the Woodstock nation and the corn stalks from which the product was made. I thought this was somewhat cynical because I associated Dow Chemical with napalm during the Vietnam war.
Just when it seemed like Woodstalk had become the industry standard for FSC projects, Dow closed the company and we were left without a suitable alternative.
It seemed only like months after receiving my FSC certification that I got notice from “Smartwood” the company that carried out the certification process, that we were due for our first annual audit and that it would cost something like $1500 to $2000. I was shocked as I had yet to complete a single project requiring FSC chain of custody. After some negotiation it was agreed that the audit would be conducted by phone rather than in person and the price would be reduced to $600.00. The only thing to be audited was a single receipt for a few hundred square feet of FSC certified veneer.
When the next annual audit came due, having done no subsequent FSC work, I declined and gave up my certification.
Although I haven’t spoken to other small FSC certified shops in the Vancouver area (I think there are only two or three) I suspect they will have a similar story. Ornamentum, the first one to be certified is no longer in business.
Some of the materials suppliers, such as PJ White have become re-certified and I think some of the larger shops are considering FSC certification, probably with an interest in satisfying more serious interest south of the border.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Description High school woodshop project ideas
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Science buddies - official site, Browse the project ideas index browse over 1,000 science fair project ideas in more than 30 different areas of science. Science fair projects & experiments: topics, ideas, Science fair projects: topics, ideas, experiments, resources, and sample projects.. Jobs for high school students - employment spot, High school students are becoming more and more independent, and with this independence comes a need for money. cell phone bills, gas and car insurance, saving up for. About.com woodworking - woodworking - free woodworking, Free woodworking plans and reviews of woodworking tools and machinery, plus woodworking tips from making your own jigs to safety in the woodshop. find free plans for. Thomas jefferson high school for science and technology, Features school newspaper, resources, faculty, student information, and location details.. Lesson plans - california state university, northridge, Links to both lesson plans and strategies for teaching social science, history, and government..
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An Early Update Regarding The Saw That Never Was
When I posted the previous article entitled, "The Saw That Never Was" last night, I notified Mr. Edwards it was there and asked for his approval on its content (God, can you image the poor guy having to slug through all the additional nonsense in that post just to get to what he said?)
This morning, I received a reply from him which stated the following:
The "scies a moulures, pour scier sur les boltes a recaler" is directly translated as "saw for moulding, for sawing on the mitre jack" There is no direct word for word translation of the tool name, as it is specific to the trade of menusierie.
Of course, for me, this brought up the question of what a "menusierie" is, so it was back to Google Translate again, only to get a translation for "menusierie" as "Menusierie".
Always one to push my luck, I sent off a quick email Mr. Edwards to see if he would offer up a translation.
I didnt get what I was looking for, but I did get something better. What Mr. Edwards said was, basically, to explain what a Menusierie is, he would have to explain to me 300 years of French history. Even though his reply stated that he was "not being rude or short", my first reaction to it was, "Yes you are". Taking a few moments to investigate the translation further, though, and I quickly discovered that he is absolutely correct and truly wasnt being rude or short, but instead, actually being a good teacher.
One translation for "Menusierie" is "Carpenter", but that didnt end up making much sense to me because doing more research into the word resulted in information on plumbers, mill wrights and aluminum fabrication, just to name a few.
At this point, I still cant give an accurate translation for the word "Menusierie", but researching it has opened my eyes to the fact that in France, craftsmen are treated far differently than they are in the Anglo world. Categorization and recognition for the different crafts have been something the French government started to nurture and develop over three hundred years ago and still deals with today.
As it turns out, one little French saw has given me a great deal of joy and knowledge, and the reality is, I havent even cut through a piece of wood with it yet. But it has also taught me my limitations. Im the guy who has trouble ordering an omelet in a French restaurant. At my age, taking on the task of understanding the history of French woodworking is beyond my capabilities. Hell, I have enough trouble trying to figure out the Stanley plane timeline from the last century and a half.
As it stands, this is my very first purchase of a vintage French tool. It will be, Im sad to say, also my very last.
My thanks to Mr. Edwards and Mr. Shepherd for making this such an enjoyable experience for me.
Peace,
Mitchell
Read More..
This morning, I received a reply from him which stated the following:
The "scies a moulures, pour scier sur les boltes a recaler" is directly translated as "saw for moulding, for sawing on the mitre jack" There is no direct word for word translation of the tool name, as it is specific to the trade of menusierie.
Of course, for me, this brought up the question of what a "menusierie" is, so it was back to Google Translate again, only to get a translation for "menusierie" as "Menusierie".
Always one to push my luck, I sent off a quick email Mr. Edwards to see if he would offer up a translation.
I didnt get what I was looking for, but I did get something better. What Mr. Edwards said was, basically, to explain what a Menusierie is, he would have to explain to me 300 years of French history. Even though his reply stated that he was "not being rude or short", my first reaction to it was, "Yes you are". Taking a few moments to investigate the translation further, though, and I quickly discovered that he is absolutely correct and truly wasnt being rude or short, but instead, actually being a good teacher.
One translation for "Menusierie" is "Carpenter", but that didnt end up making much sense to me because doing more research into the word resulted in information on plumbers, mill wrights and aluminum fabrication, just to name a few.
At this point, I still cant give an accurate translation for the word "Menusierie", but researching it has opened my eyes to the fact that in France, craftsmen are treated far differently than they are in the Anglo world. Categorization and recognition for the different crafts have been something the French government started to nurture and develop over three hundred years ago and still deals with today.
As it turns out, one little French saw has given me a great deal of joy and knowledge, and the reality is, I havent even cut through a piece of wood with it yet. But it has also taught me my limitations. Im the guy who has trouble ordering an omelet in a French restaurant. At my age, taking on the task of understanding the history of French woodworking is beyond my capabilities. Hell, I have enough trouble trying to figure out the Stanley plane timeline from the last century and a half.
As it stands, this is my very first purchase of a vintage French tool. It will be, Im sad to say, also my very last.
My thanks to Mr. Edwards and Mr. Shepherd for making this such an enjoyable experience for me.
Peace,
Mitchell
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