Replies

1. 
   SgianDubh | Sep 01, 2006 04:39pm | #1

   Keep me up to date on the quality of imported Canadian Moose Drool. I'd like a daily report on that. Any stories concerning pretty possums will also be appreciated. Possums will have to do as, presumably, sheep aren't big in Montana. Slainte.

   Richard Jones Furniture

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Sep 01, 2006 05:22pm | #2

   We happen to like petite sheep unlike you Scots who like them ummm, err, slower.Moose Drool is a microbrew made right here in Montana and it's far and away the best swill to ever pass my lips. It's not imported from Canada.The daily update? We finished a keg of Moosedrool a week ago, we now have Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on tap. It's okay but not on par with Trout Slayer or Moose Drool but the store gave it to us for a great price. We have no possums here in the backwater, those naked tails just don't care for our weather.Ohh, woodworking? I'm laying up veneers today.Cheers Richard, I tried to talk Ruthie into a trip to Scotland for our 25th but she said she didn't want to watch us go pub crawling for a week. Instead it's New York, then a Carribean cruise. Life is hard.Lee

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Sep 01, 2006 06:33pm | #4

   To everyone, please don't let the banter between Richard and myself deter you from giving me the feedback I'd be most thankful for. Richard and I go back a ways.Lee

2. 
   SgianDubh | Sep 01, 2006 08:41pm | #6

   Lee, I'm very fond of petite sheep myself, especially if they have long, alluring, come hither eyelashes and a querulous and rather pathetic bleat. Now I know that's on the menu (so to speak) do keep us posted.

   If Moose Drool isn't a daily staple then, and you're an unfussy drinker like me, I'll take any updates on the ructions that ensue after consumption of whatever your daily swill might be.

   Oh, and if you do a bit of wood chipping too, you might mention that. Slainte. Richard Jones Furniture

2. 
   jackplane | Sep 01, 2006 06:30pm | #3

   Curves, baby, curves.

   This is what makes woodworking sexy, and challenging.

    

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Sep 01, 2006 06:34pm | #5

   Oohh la, la..., I agree.Lee

3. 
   kummell | Sep 01, 2006 11:27pm | #7

   Lee, as a novice, I'd be interested to see alternative methods for achieving the same result.  a simple example would be "I used my table saw and dado set to make this dado, but I could have used a router and X router bit."  That one may be obvious, but I find that discussion of trade-offs interesting.

   From my point of view, I have limited tools and a limited budget for buying new tools (but an unlimited appetite for new tools!), it'd be great to know how to maximize the tools I have by watching a project unfold and understand why certain decisions were made and what the alternatives are...

   Additionally, it'd be interesting to see the initial planning of the projects and what decisions you make that step away from the initial plan as you work.

    

    

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Sep 02, 2006 01:31am | #8

   Kummell, I think that's a great idea, I'll discuss alternative methods as I go along and include why I chose the method I did.Lee

4. 
   forestgirl | Sep 02, 2006 06:58am | #9

   One of the processes that tends to get glossed over in magazine articles is the glue-up routine.  Some why's and wherefore's on anything that's more than straightforward would be helpful.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Sep 02, 2006 06:13pm | #11

   FG, I'm somewhat restricted in that the blog is about three projects so I have to stay on topic. I will however take the time to describe the glue ups I do in detail.Thanks,Lee

1. 
   forestgirl | Sep 02, 2006 07:52pm | #15

   " I will however take the time to describe the glue ups I do in detail."  That's what I meant.  Not necessarily one that's dead simple -- more the ones' that involve sub-sections or where the order makes a big difference.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

5. 
   tomg | Sep 02, 2006 05:59pm | #10

   The most valuable thing to explain is WHY you do things the way you do. This applies especially to design decisions and also to choosing one tool over anoter (chisel over mortiser, for example). Dittio the comments on glue-ups. That task is something of an art form, but somewhat intimidating to many. Finally, finishing seaparte parts and then assembling them without messing up the finish is a task that is often glossed over.

   I'm looking forward to your blog.

   -tom

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Sep 02, 2006 06:15pm | #13

   Tom, I think the "whys" are often lost in print media due to size restrictions. I will include the logic in the decisions as I go and I believe that the editor will allow this. Web work is more accepting of longer articles.Lee

1. 
   tomg | Sep 03, 2006 04:01pm | #16

   Dear Lee,
   That is the beauty of blogs - they allow for more stream of consciousness than print. Ink costs money, and the editing process here probably won't come close to the 4-8 month time frame in print - at least I hope not. I'm sure that Matt will be a great help, and I am relly looking forward to your blog.
   Best of luck,
   -Tom

6. 
   pickdesign | Sep 02, 2006 06:15pm | #12

   Since your doing some tables, perhaps you could discuss and show in pictures how you will handle the expansion of the wood tops (if they are to be solid as opposed to veneer).  I would like to see the method you use to attach the top to the frame and discuss how that will alleviate or handle the wood movement.  If the top is to be in veneer, could you show how to veneer with cauls & clamps as opposed to vacuum bag.  I for one want to get a vacuum system but budget doesn't allow, so techniques using clamps would be helpful to me.

   Some of your carving and explanation of it would be the icing on the cake!  Thanks for taking the time to do this.

   Steve Pickett

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Sep 02, 2006 06:19pm | #14

   I use a vacuum bag and will be doing veneering, actually quite a lot. If I can I'll do one with cauls and clamps. I'll be discussing movement issues extensively, it's a vital part of design and engineering so you'll get a belly full of it.Thanks,Lee

1. 
   mapleman | Sep 03, 2006 07:57pm | #17

   Hi Lee,

   Will your veneer work involve any marquetry or inlays? I was very impressed with that work on your lazy susan table, and would be thrilled to hear about how it is done.

   Lee

2. 
   pickdesign | Sep 04, 2006 08:24am | #18

   Thanks  in advance for giving a try to the calmps versus the vacuum bag, on a small portion of the project if it so allows.  I would be interested in your techniques.

   I just completed a glue up of some small 10"x 18" bubinga on 1/4" oak plywood, this afternoon.  It is always a real pain trying to set up the strategy for glueing a bunch of sheets together using my limited amount of clamps.  I used waxed paper in between each layer, four in all.  I used Unibond? glue (Titebond product I think). 

   While I am pleased with result, I still got some bleed though of the glue.  Hoping to be able to sand that out.  The veneer was about .040" thickness, do you see the same problem when using commercial veneers?  Or do you order yours thicker, re-saw out of full pieces to get .06 +, or do you use hide glue to avoid the bleed through?

   Looking forward to the blog, and I second the curves (o la la!)

   Steve

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Sep 04, 2006 06:35pm | #19

   Bleeding is inevitable unless you use a membrane backed veneer. The membrane blocks the bleedthough but it generally means veneer that's thinner than the standard 1/40" whicg is what I use most of. I'm working on one of the blog projects now that includes sawn veneer and it will finish out at around an eighth. Glue bleeds, the trick is to use glue that's transparent to the finish. PVAs (yellow glues) are transparent to clear finishes but not to stain. I use liquid hide glue for most of my veneering in the bag, hide glue is transparent to stain and finishes. I use hot hide glue for small jobs to avoid setting up the vaccum press. Look into ironing on PVA. Coat both surfaces and iron them on. Many people have great success with this method. It's not one I favor simply because I use PVA on a very limited basis for my work.Lee

   Edited 9/4/2006 4:32 pm ET by LeeGrindinger

7. 
   UnclePablo | Sep 04, 2006 10:29pm | #20

   Lee,

   One thing I think a lot of folks would find informative and helpful would be an accounting of the hours it takes you to perform certain tasks. Also, if something went faster or slower than you had planned, please say so and maybe even why.

   I look forward to checking in on your progress. 

   Thanks,

   -Paul

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Sep 04, 2006 11:17pm | #21

   One of the beauties of the blog format is the interaction between me and readers, it's not possible in print. I'll be able to respond to questions from folks and questions like yours, "How long did it take you to do such and such?" will be easily dealt with.Thanks for the input, I'll keep time in mind.Lee